The ability of the Affordable Care Act to mitigate the current pressure of the uninsured on our healthcare system is unknown. Yet, the prediction is that it will greatly reduce the effect on emergency room systems throughout the nation. This reduction will be greater in the south and southwest regions of the United States (The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, 2013 p. 4). The potential is there, however, the willingness of the population is yet to be seen. What does the future hold? Only the future knows.
The United States spends vast amounts on its healthcare, while falling short of achieving superiority over other developed nations. One cannot overlook that the deepening recession has left many without jobs and therefore lacking health insurance. According to Fairhall and Steadman, (2009), even though the recession is hard on all, it is worse on the uninsured due to health care and insurance cost rising faster than incomes. Nevertheless, even those with jobs are lacking in health insurance due to employers, who provide insurance, are increasingly dropping their sponsored insurance. Many find that purchasing a health policy or paying for medical care out-of-pocket is cost prohibitive. “Since the recession began in December 2007, the number of unemployed Americans has increased by 3.6 million,” (Fairhall & Steadman, 2009). In 2009 it was stated that approximately 46 million Americans were uninsured, however not all of that number is due to the inability to afford coverage. According to a 2009 story written by Christopher Weaver of Kaiser Health News, 43% of that number should be classified as “voluntarily” uninsured. This subset of uninsured Americans consist of nearly half being young and healthy; therefo...
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Long, S. K., Kenney, G. M., Zuckerman, S., Goin, D. E., Wissoker, D., Blavin, F., Blumber, L. (2014). The Health Reform Monitoring Survey: Addressing Data Gaps to Provide Timely Insights into The Affordable Care Act. Health Affirs, 33(1), 161-167. doi:10.1377/hithaff.2013.0934
Sarpel, U., Vladeck, B. C., Divino, C. M., & Klotman, P. E. (2008). Fact and Fiction: Debunking Myths in the US Healthcare System. Annals of Surgery, 247(4), 563-569. doi:10.1097/SLA.0b013e318159d566
Tanner, M. D. (2014, January 22). Nothing to Show for Obamacare. National Review.
Weaver, C. (2009, October 3). People Who Choose Not To Have Health Insurance - Kaiser Health News. Retrieved February 22, 2014, from http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2009/October/04/npr-voluntarily-uninsured-explainer.aspx
Due to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed into law on March 23rd, 2010; health care in the US is presently in a state of much needed transition. As of 2008, 46 Million residents (15% of the population) were uninsured and 60% of residents had coverage from private insurers. 55% of those covered by private insurers received it through their employer and 5% paid for it directly. Federal programs covered 24% of Americans; 13% under Medicare and10% under Medicaid. (Squires, 2010)
Healthcare in the U.S. has recently been affected by implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010. The intent is to create a healthca...
One of the most controversial topics in the United States in recent years has been the route which should be undertaken in overhauling the healthcare system for the millions of Americans who are currently uninsured. It is important to note that the goal of the Affordable Care Act is to make healthcare affordable; it provides low-cost, government-subsidized insurance options through the State Health Insurance Marketplace (Amadeo 1). Our current president, Barack Obama, made it one of his goals to bring healthcare to all Americans through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. This plan, which has been termed “Obamacare”, has come under scrutiny from many Americans, but has also received a large amount of support in turn for a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons include a decrease in insurance discrimination on the basis of health or gender and affordable healthcare coverage for the millions of uninsured. The opposition to this act has cited increased costs and debt accumulation, a reduction in employer healthcare coverage options, as well as a penalization of those already using private healthcare insurance.
Healthcare has been a topic of discussion with the majority of the country. Issues with insurance coverage, rising costs, limited options to gain coverage, and the quality of healthcare have become concerns for law makers, healthcare providers and the general public. Some of those concerns were alleviated with the passing of the Affordable Care Act, but new concerns have developed with problems that have occurred in the implementation of the new law. The main concerns of the country are if the Affordable Care Act will be able to overcome the issues that plagued the old healthcare system, the cost of the program, and how will the new law affect the quality of the health delivery system.
Health insurance, too many American citizens, is not an option. However, some citizens find it unnecessary. Working in the health care field, I witness the effects of uninsured patients on medical offices. Too often, I see a “self-pay” patient receive care from their doctor and then fail to pay for it. Altogether, their refusal to pay leaves the office at a loss of money and calls for patients to pay extra in covering for the cost of the care the uninsured patient received. One office visit does not seem like too big of an expense, but multiple patients failing to pay for the care they receive adds up. Imagine the hospital bills that patients fail to pay; health services in a hospital are double, sometimes triple, in price at a hospital. It is unfair that paying patients are responsible for covering these unpaid services. Luckily, the Affordable Care Act was passed on March 23, 2010, otherwise known as Obamacare. Obamacare is necessary in America because it calls for all citizens to be health insured, no worrying about pre-existing conditions, and free benefits for men and women’s health.
There are huge impacts of the rising costs. Many people can not afford health insurance. Of the families that do have health coverage, 50 percent are concerned about having to pay more for that coverage in the future, while 42 percent fear they will not be able to afford coverage at all. (National Coalition on Healthcare, 2005, Facts on heal...
The Affordable Care Act may be an expansion of Medicare that helps provide for needy United States citizens, but it negatively impacts members of the medical field. Many United States Citizens will receive medical care that they originally could not afford to receive, but not all citizens will be eligible for Medicare even with the program’s expansion. The Affordable Care Act could and will provide help to many United States citizens, but it will not perform its purpose efficiently without more thought and consideration of the act’s secondary effects. This act will prove to be both a tremendous help to those in poverty and a menace to those working in the healthcare setting.
Everyone though out the United States is required to have some sort of health insurance since the enactment of the patient protection affordable care act that began in the beginning of 2014. The reform act basically states all individuals have to have some type of health insurance and if they fall to have the minimum required insurance then will face a tax penalty. However, with the way the law is written the information can be difficult to understand and even more difficult to determine what the impact will be if individuals fail to comply and obtain insurance (Suelzer). Although the coverage is mandatory there is a loophole in the act making some individuals exempt from being required to have health insurance. Individuals who have a religious belief, undocumented emigrants, incarcerated individuals, Indian tribe members, and families who have income that is below the taxable threshold all fall into the exempt status and are not required to have health insurance according to Marcia Richards Suelzer, MA, JD (Suelzer). My goal is to focus on health insurance showing it is not benefiting the people of the United States because of the extremely high costs.
In today’s healthcare system, there are many characteristics and forces that make up the complex structure. Health care delivery is a complex system that involves many people that navigate it with hopes of a better outcome to the residents of the United States. Many factors affect the system starting from global influences, social values and culture. Further factors include economic conditions, physical environment, technology development, economic conditions, political climate and population characteristics. Furthermore the main characteristics of the Unites States healthcare system includes: no agency governs the whole system, access to healthcare is restricted based on the coverage and third party agencies exist. Unfortunately many people are in power of the healthcare system involving multiple payers. Physicians are pressured to order unnecessary tests to avoid potential legal risks. Quality of care is a major component; therefore it creates a demand for new technology. A more close investigation will review two main characteristics and two external forces that currently affect the healthcare delivery system. Furthermore, what will be the impact of one of the characteristics and one of the external forces in review with the new affordable care act 2010? The review will demonstrate the implications to the healthcare delivery system and the impact on the affordable care act 2010.
Ever since the long and controversial political and legislative process of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that was enacted in 2010, it has created numerous opportunities to make health care accessible, affordable, and higher quality for all. Importantly, the ACA has improved the health care system regards into reducing health disparities in recent years. For the remainder of this research paper we will have further information to what the ACA is, health disparities that exist, improvements from the ACA, and the status and future of the act.
The presented article reviewed the impact that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has had on the US healthcare system following it being signed by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. As described in the article, much of the full effect of the ACA is yet to be determined due to its existence being only five years. However, within this time frame the ACA has greatly modified two key factors of the healthcare system; the expansion in coverage of health insurance and a reform in the delivery system of healthcare. Reform in these two areas came largely in part due to the federal government providing subsidies which allowed for 87% of the 11.7 million qualifying Americans to receive coverage, and secondly because of individual states being allowed to expand their Medicaid programs (Blumenthal, Abrams & Nuzum, 2015). The effects of the ACA on this 87%, have been that many were pleased with their coverage and report being
High health insurance costs have cost a lot of Americans to lose their jobs due to unaffordable health care costs (Kaiser). There are many people who need Medicaid but some people can’t afford Medicaid due to its high costs (Kaiser). Medicaid is an important provider to have because they help those who have no money and need a backup solution (Kaiser). Medicaid has also been known for its enormous rates of falling family income. In April of 2014 there were over 8 million people who selected plans to help take care of their everyday needs. When a person is uninsured, they are forced to pay out of pocket costs (Nunley). The total medical care insurance costs are 10% greater than the average person’s annual income (Nunley). Health insurance is a much needed insurance to
My viewpoint of the Affordable Care Act has changed significantly over the course of the past eight weeks but primarily because I know more about it now than I did when I started this class. My viewpoint about what the future of health care holds has probably changed even more significantly than my viewpoint on the ACA. Prior to the onset of this class, I simply assumed that health care would hold steady at its current status with a few “minor” tweaks here and there. I did not realize how much affect technology had on health care, nor did I realize that health care as we know it today, is in such a sad state of disarray. Health care has remained a core issue faced by Americans for many years. Young & DeVoe (2012), estimate that the cost of health care in 2021 will equal 50% of the typical household income and if it is allowed to continue to rise; by 2033 it will surpass the average household income. With my new found interest in the ACA, I feel that I will be watching the news more closely and monitoring the future happenings to be more “in the know” of things, as they happen. I feel that my opinions will wax and wane based on future financial changes that occur and the effects that it has on health care.
The comparison of expenditures by itself demonstrates an environment where growth is occurring in what should be a non-growth oriented industry. As costs for health care rise investment and growth in other areas will continue to stagnate. A troubling parallel aspect of the health care environment is that along with rising costs there is a significant lack of coverage for millions of Americans. The US not only leads OECD nations in expenses per person but also leads the other nations in terms of citizens without basic health care coverage (Blank, 2012).
Health insurance facilitates entry into the health care system. Uninsured people are less likely to receive medical care and more likely to have poor health. Many Americans are foregoing medical care because they cannot afford it, or are struggling to pay their medical bills. “Adults in the US are more likely to go without health care due to cost” (Schoen, Osborn, Squires, Doty, & Pierson, 2010) Many of the currently uninsured or underinsured are forced accept inferior plans with large out-of-pocket costs, or are not be able to afford coverage offered by private health insurers. This lack of adequate coverage makes it difficult for people to get the health care they need and can have a particularly serious impact on a person's health and stability.