The Affordable Care Act made several reforms intended to make it easier to find good, affordable coverage in the individual health insurance market. But because states have flexibility in implementing the law, consumers are likely to experience these reforms differently depending on where they live. In a new Commonwealth Fund issue brief Georgetown University’s Justin Giovannelli, Kevin Lucia, and Sabrina Corlette report that all consumers will enjoy a range of protections, including guaranteed access to coverage, coverage of preexisting conditions, and a package of essential health benefits. Consumers in certain states will have even broader protections.