A coalition of health care and advocacy groups started a new Web site last week that seeks to help Americans understand what can seem like perplexing changes that are starting to occur under the new health care law.

The new site, healthcareandyou.org, will stay away of the politics behind the legislation and center instead on what the plan means for consumers. People who log on to the site can click on their state, their age group, and their circumstances — like whether they are a small business owner or not — and find explanations of the law’s details and a timeline pointing out when various provisions will take effect.

According to a March 2 New York Times Prescriptions blog piece, “the creators of the site said they hoped to dispel confusion over the law’s details by allowing people to access information tailored to them and, eventually, by adding a chat feature where users can ask specific questions and get immediate feedback from experts. The site was also designed to provide details to doctors and other health care providers who take questions about the law from patients.”

Six other groups, in addition to the family physicians’ academy and AARP, make up the coalition that created the site. Among them are the American Medical Association; the American Nurses Association; the Catholic Health Association; the National Community Pharmacists Association; the American College of Physicians; and the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network.