( CNN ) -- While many changes to Americans ' health care outlined in the the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act do n't take effect until 2014 , a Supreme Court ruling expected this month could stop those changes from coming at all . The act , often referred to as `` Obamacare , '' is a step toward guaranteeing insurance coverage for all Americans and received enough support to pass in Congress in 2010 . However , the Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments on several of its core issues in March . The court may rule on the issues by the end of this month . Basics : Health care reform issues . No matter the ruling , most Americans will be affected . Here are some of the issues being discussed right now : . Business owners . One hundred and sixty million Americans receive health care from their employers , many of whom set their own rates for their employees . If the court rules against the act , employees might face higher premiums , fewer network providers , higher-deductible plans and more stringent regulations on adding adult dependents . What is Corporate America 's Plan B to safeguard employees and industry if the act is struck down ? Here are some insights : . Employers ' 'plan B ' if health reform is axed . Employers bear brunt of health insurance hikes . Small business owners . If you run your own company , the act has a lot of good in store for you -- that is , if you know how to access it . Many small business owners across the country who do offer health coverage have n't taken advantage of , or did n't even know about , a tax credit that helps offset giving employees insurance . Why would n't small business owners take advantage of this ? CNNMoney answers that question and talks about what might happen if only parts of the act are kept : . The health care tax credit few are taking . What 's at stake for small businesses . National spending . Being insured helps safeguard against pricey medical bills . However , a report released Tuesday from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services suggests that the act wo n't limit national health spending . In fact , it predicts that spending will skyrocket after a brief recession-induced dip . Growth in health spending does n't necessarily correlate with growth in health care costs , but what does it mean ? Here 's a projection : . Health spending growth to stay low , then jump . America 's youth . For today 's young adults , health care comes last . If you ca n't afford to feed and clothe yourself , why budget for something that has n't happened yet ? However , youth get sick too , and their future bank accounts might take a toll if the act is repealed -- or if they do n't insure themselves , period . Additionally , the ones who do insure themselves tend to forgo expenditures elsewhere ( like graduate school ) to make ends meet . Young adults skip health care as medical debts rise . For 20-somethings , health care hangs in the balance . Senior citizens . Health reform has been the belle of the senior citizen community , saving Medicare beneficiaries a collective $ 3.7 billion dollars on their medication costs since its inception in 2010 . One of the reform 's aims is to close the `` donut hole , '' or portion of senior citizens that ca n't pay for medication out of pocket , by 2020 . Read how Medicare has been affected by health care reform : . Medicare : Seniors saved $ 3.7 billion on medicine . Doctors at risk . Increases in insurance coverage and changes in Medicare help patients avoid footing hefty medical bills , but sometimes their doctors pay the price . Read why some doctors , especially those in private practice , are running out of money : . Doctors going broke . Doctors : We could go out of business . Silver linings . Just because a negative ruling would give health insurers and states the ability to opt out of reform-era options does n't mean they 're going to . UnitedHealthcare , the nation 's largest health insurer , said that while it will take cues from competitors , it will maintain some of the act 's key mandates regardless of the court 's decision . Moreover , there is strong bipartisan support for state-created health care exchange programs , many of which have been set into motion , where those seeking insurance can look for subsidized coverage . UnitedHealthcare to keep some health care mandates . Exchanges could survive even if health reform law dies . The fine print . Very few people take the time to read bills in their entirety , but should we ? CNN investigates lesser-known changes to the health care system tucked into `` Obamacare . '' Check out these tidbits : . 10 lesser-known effects of health care reform law .
The Supreme Court will rule on the Affordable Care Act this month . No matter the ruling , most Americans will be affected . For more on the Affordable Care Act , check back with CNN.com/health .