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Social inequalities in health care
Affordable care act medicaid expansion
Cultural congruence in health care
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Throughout this paper I will discuss the ethical dilemmas that are associated with the population health and health disparities, cultural underpinnings supporting the pros and cons of the health care reform and the Affordable Care Act, and how social justice and human rights protection reduces health disparities. Healthcare disparities exist among people of ethnic minorities and low income individuals throughout the country. Ethical dilemmas that are married to health disparity include an individual’s social and economic status, geographic location, gender, age, mental stability or any other characteristic that has been associated with any form of discrimination or exclusion that has adversely affected ethnic minorities (People, 2013). Groups …show more content…
Some pros of the ACA are that healthcare has become more affordable, provides free access of preventive care, allows children to remain on their parent’s health coverage up until the age of 26, and provides subsidies to low income families that help them have access to health care despite the poverty that they are in (Andrews & Boyle, 2016). Another pro is the expansion of Medicaid to just about all individuals that are at 138% below the income federal poverty level (Paringer, 2013; Rudowitz, Artiga & Musumeci, 2015). However, this is also a cons of the ACA because some of states throughout the country at this time are allowed to deny the addition of Medicaid to any person living below the poverty level which is keeping a large number of low-income families still without medical coverage (Paringer, 2013; Rudowitz, Artiga & Musumeci, 2015). Another con is the medical expenses for families can only deducted if it exceeds 10 percent of their income excise tax whereas in the past the number was only 7.5 percent of their income before they could deduct the medical expenses (Paringer, 2013; Rudowitz, Artiga & Musumeci,
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.
The aim of affordable care act (ACA) was to extend health insurance coverage to around 15% of US population who lack it. These include people with no coverage from their employers and don’t have coverage by US health programs like Medicaid (Retrieved from, https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/affordable-care-act/). To achieve this, the law required all Americans to have health insurance which is a reason of controversy because, it was inappropriate intrusion of government into the massive health care industry and insult to personal liberty. To make health care more affordable subsidies are offered and the cost of the insurance was supposed to be reduced by bringing younger, healthier people to the health insurance system. This could be controversial, if older, sicker people who need the coverage most enter the market but younger group decline to do so. The insurance pool will be unbalanced and the cost of coverage will rise correspondingly.
Large disparities exist between minorities and the rest of Americans in major areas of health. Even though the overall health of the nation is improving, minorities suffer from certain diseases up to five times more than the rest of the nation. President Clinton has committed the nation to eliminating the disparities in six areas of health by the Year 2010, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will be jumping in on this huge battle. The six areas are: Infant Mortality, Cancer Screening and Management, Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes, HIV Infection and AIDS, and Child and Adult Immunizations.
Under the Affordable Care Act one of the most important provisions is to expand health care to low income families through Medicaid. This could have an effect on over eight million people who do not have access to health care currently. However 25 states have decided against expanding Medicaid benefits, leaving 13.5 million people less likely to receive basic health care and preventative ...
Health disparity is one of the burdens that contributes to our healthcare system in providing equal healthcare to everyone regarding of race, age, race, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status to achieve good health. Research reveals that racial and ethnic minorities are likely to receive lower quality of healthcare services than white Americans.
America is known for democracy, freedom, and the American Dream. American citizens have the right to free speech, free press, the right to bear arms, and the right to religious freedom to name a few. The Declaration of Independence states that American citizens have the rights including “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” America promises equality and freedom and the protection of their rights as outlined in the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. But with all the rights and freedoms that American citizens enjoy, there is one particular area where the United States seems to be lacking. That area is health care. The United States is the only industrialized nation that doesn’t have some form of legal recognition of a right to health care (Yamin 1157). Health care reform in the United States has become a major controversy for politicians, health care professionals, businesses, and citizens. Those in opposition to reform claim that health care is not a human right, therefore the government should not be involved. Supporters of reform believe that health care is most definitely a human right and should be available to everyone in the United States instead of only those who can afford it, and that it is the government’s responsibility to uphold that right.
According to the institute of Medicine (IOM), racism is a problem in the health care system, that is, the difference between the quality of health care received by minorities and non-minorities is due to racism. IOM is a nonprofit organization that advises the federal government and the public on science policy. It released a report that on average, minorities receive a lower quality of care, even when factors such as income and type of health insurance are accounted for. The report by IOM states that racial stereotypes and prejudice are the cause of the health care disparities. The article by IOM points ...
These differences occur as a result of culture, race and geographical location as well as socioeconomic status (Andrews, & Boyle, 2008). Health disparities affect racial and ethnic minorities, low-income groups, women, children, older adults, residents of rural areas, and individuals with disabilities and special care needs (National Institutes of Health, 2010). Health disparities result in inadequate health care for affected populations with significant medical problems. Inadequate health care delivered in an untimely fashion ultimately requires more intervention to resolve worsening problems and also increases health care expenses for individuals, families, and communities (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008).
Healthcare disparities are when there are inequalities or differences of the conditions of health and the quality of care that is received among specific groups of people such as African Americans, Caucasians, Asians, or Hispanics. Not only does it occur between racial and ethnic groups, health disparities can happen between males and females as well. Minorities have the worst healthcare outcomes, higher death rates, and are more prone to terminal diseases. For African American men and women, some of the most common health disparities are diabetes, cancer, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and HIV infections. Some factors that can contribute to disparities are healthcare access, transportation, specialist referrals, and non-effective communication with patients. There is also much racism that still occurs today, which can be another reason African Americans may be mistreated with their healthcare. “Although both black and white patients tended not to endorse the existence of racism in the medical system, African Americans patients were more likely to perceive racism” (Laveist, Nickerson, Bowie, 2000). Over the years, the health care system has made improvements but some Americans, such as African Americans, are still being treating unequally when wanting the same care they desire as everyone else.
Most health care plans do not collect socioeconomic or racial/ethnic data on their plan members. The recognition of disparities in health care as a quality issue has far-reaching implications for reducing socioeconomic and racial/ethnic disparities in health care. It is difficult to isolate racial/ethnic disparities in health care due to socioeconomic disparities because race and socioeconomic position are so closely intertwined, especially in the United States. However, socioeconomic position appears to be the more powerful determinant of health, as mentioned above. Fiscella et al. proposed five principles for addressing disparities, some of which were- 1) “disparities must be recognized as a significant quality problem”; and 2) “an approach to disparities should account for the relationships between both socioeconomic position and race/ethnicity and morbidity. Consideration should be given to linking reimbursement to the socioeconomic position and racial/ethnicity composition of the enrolled population.”
In this essay, the position I will argue is that it is not ethical to allow an elderly white man to discriminate against African American health care professionals from entering his home. The African American race is a recognized minority in the United States representing only 13.1% of the population (US Quickfacts). Compared to the Caucasian population holding 77.9% of the population, African American’s are in the minority (US Quickfacts). With the knowledge that the African American race is a minority, they are less represented. Using three outlets to support my position, I will make a case against racial discrimination in a health care environment, specially the elderly white man’s home. First, I will use laws and policies that have been passed to protect against racial discrimination in the United States. Second, I will reference moral teachings to illustrate how legal standing can be supported in ethical decision-making. Lastly, I will argue my position against racial discrimination in a private social environment, such as this elderly man’s home. Through these three examples, I will defend my position that it is not ethical for the elderly white ...
The main advantage of the Affordable Care Act is that it lowers health care costs overall by making insurance affordable for more people. First, it wi...
Therefore, the Affordable Care Act increased access to healthcare. The group that benefited the most was the individuals with pre-existing conditions. Prior to Affordable Care Act, insurance companies had the right to deny the application of those with pre-existing condition like asthma and diabetes. However, with the ACA, insurance companies cannot deny their application and they can’t increase their premium. Another group that had advantages of this new act are the poor people. People who are up to 138% of poverty level or the individuals that make less than $15,854 a year will be eligible for
Socioeconomic Disparities and health are growing at a rapid rate throughout the United States of America. To further understand the meaning of Socioeconomic Disparities, Health and Socioeconomic disparities & health, this essay will assist in providing evidence. Disparities can be defined in many ways, of which include ethnic and racial background and class types that deal with it the most. Due to the low income some individuals receive, they have less access to health care and are at risk for major health issues. Although, ethnicity and socioeconomic status should not determine the level of health care one should receive or whether not the individual receives healthcare.
Despite the substantial developments in diagnostic and treatment processes, there is convincing evidence that ethnic and racial minorities normally access and receive low quality services compared to the majority communities (Lum, 2011). As such, minority groups have higher mortality and morbidity rates arising from both preventable and treatable diseases judged against the majority groups. Elimination of both racial and ethnic disparities is mainly politically sensitive, but plays an important role in the equitable access of services, including the health care ones without discrimination. In addition, accountability, accessibility, and availability of equitable health care services are crucial for the continually growing