The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: opportunities for prevention and advocacy.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has come under intense scrutiny about its mandate for individual health insurance purchase, yet it has received little praise in the popular press for its prevention measures. Irrespective of the Supreme Court's decision regarding the "individual mandate," it is important for public health professionals to advocate for the preservation of the prevention and wellness provisions in the current law. The article addresses the Supreme Court's hearing for the "individual mandate," the likely impact of the general election in 2012, and specific prevention components of the law that should be championed by health education and health promotion advocates.