Guam - Declaring a new season in America, President Barack Obama signed the nearly trillion-dollar Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law today.  The new law's most-far reaching changes don't kick in for another four years including a requirement that most Americans carry health insurance, whether through an employer, a government program or their own purchase - or pay a fine.

To make that a reality, tax credits to help cover the cost of premiums will start flowing to middle-class families and Medicaid will be expanded to cover more low-income people. Among the new rules on insurance companies are banning lifetime dollar limits on policies, coverage denials for pre-existing conditions, and policy cancellations when someone gets sick. Insurers also will have to allow parents to keep children on their plans up to age 26.

Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo praised its passage while Governor Felix Camacho said the measure ignored the needs of the territories.