The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
In 2012, over 47 million Americans were uninsured. Due to the rising costs of health care, decreases in employer sponsored health care, and ineligibility gaps for public programs, the number of insured people has steadily increased (KFF, 2013). In an effort to overhaul the broken, fragmented system, massive health care reform has been launched. The most far-reaching law affecting managed care since the creation of Medicare and Medicaid, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act “ACA” was signed into law on March 23, 2010 (Kongstvedt, 2013). This controversial and comprehensive piece of legislation focuses on provisions to expand coverage improves health care delivery systems, increase consumer protection, and control health care costs (KFF, 2013).
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been a topic of dispute since its introduction and continues to be discussed by politicians in the U.S. and throughout the world even after its passage. The Act has many opponents and is the cause of much controversy nationwide, primarily because it introduces higher healthcare costs for the richest citizens. Nevertheless, the ACA is an important stage in the American healthcare development process as it not only allows more people to receive healthcare services, but will also reduce the deficit. However, not everyone agrees. The policy is controversial in terms of cost vs. benefits, but the benefits ultimately outweigh the costs.
Introduction
This paper will take into account the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Law and how all three branches of government are involved with the creation and analyze issues associated with the ACA. Subsequently the paper will describe the role of public opinion and lobbying groups. Thirdly this paper will evaluate the concepts of equity, efficiency, and effectiveness showcasing their role in the law and its passage. This paper will take into consideration the anticipated effects on cost, quality, and access, including discussing the balance of markets and the government.
This paper discusses the Affordable Care Act and questions that were given to us by our instructor. The Affordable Care Act, or ACA, is a health care system reform that was implemented in 2010 by Obama, the current, and then president. There was a great deal of debate when the reform came about, and what it would mean for companies, individuals, and medical care providers. Ultimately, it was designed to bring a reform to the nation’s broken health care system ((Manchikanti, Caraway, Parr, Fellows, & Hirsch, 2010). There were so many individuals without health insurance who did not get the care they needed, and this reform came about to try and create a more equal and fair system that gives everybody a sort of equal chance at insurance and health care. Like any change, it’s frightening when something new and unknown comes about, and that is exactly what this did. There were many who were unhappy with it getting passed, as well as many who were pleased with it. This didn’t just fall onto Republicans or Democrats, but individuals who were in the health care systems, like medical care providers and certain insurance companies, which it would affect. In this paper we aim to examine some background information about the Affordable Care Act, key questions that relate to it, and explore some new information learned about the ACA through this course and its readings.
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.
The Affordable Care Act has been at the center of political debate within the United States for the since current President Barack Obama signed it into law in 2010. The act represents the most significant regulatory healthcare overhaul of the United States healthcare system since the passage of both Medicaid and Medicare collectively Initially, the ACA was enacted with the goals of increasing the availability of affordable health insurance, lowering the uninsured rate by expanding public and private insurance and reducing cost of healthcare for individuals and the government (Robert, 2012). Proponents of the act’s passage have articulated that the ACA provides service for free, such as preventative health coverage for those registered, it requires that insurance companies can no longer deny person’s or children with pre-existing conditions and will close the Medicare “Donut Hole” for prescription drugs. While the Act has the potential to provide better quality of healthcare for the American populace, opponents argue that the ACA is flawed and could create a quagmire of cost and confusion with its implementation. Arguments against it hold the belief that it would force employers with religious affiliation to provide services to employees through their health plans that directly contradict their values. As a result of cost, companies may void out of their employer health insurance and pay a penalty as opposed to pay for employee insurance. Lastly, the act is said to focus more on registration the actually addressing cost of healthcare. While these issues are pertinent, the overall accessibility to healthcare created by the ACA and outweighs the negating arguments.
The United States (U.S.) has a health care system that is much different than any other health care system in the world (Nies & McEwen, 2015). It is frequently recognized as one with most recent technological inventions, but at the same time is often criticized for being overly expensive (Nies & McEwen, 2015). In 2010, President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) (U. S. Department of Health & Human Services, n.d.) This plan was implemented in an attempt to make preventative care more affordable and accessible for all uninsured Americans (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, n.d.). Under the law, the new Patient’s Bill of Rights gives consumers the power to be in charge of their health care choices. (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, n.d.).
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.
A power struggle over the defunding of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, better known as ObamaCare, caused the government to go into a partial shutdown for sixteen days beginning on the first of October two-thousand thirteen. The ACA, Affordable Care Act, was originally signed on March twenty-third of two thousand ten to offer new benefits, rights, and protections regarding health care. President Obama (3/23/10) declared that the ACA reflects “the core principle that everybody should have some basic security when it comes to their healthcare.” I believe the intentions of ObamaCare is to expand affordable health insurance to all Americans while improving the quality and reducing health care spending in the United States (Hamblin, 4/2/13). However, according to a CBS news poll (10/3/13), about fifty-five percent of Americans disapprove of this new law and, myself included, feel that not all of the pending results of ObamaCare are in their best interest. These negative responses are a primary result of the demands brought forth by the ACA. This new health care act requires all Americans to possess a health insurance policy that meets a long list of mandatory standards by March twenty-third of two-thousand fourteen or a pay a fee of one percent of their total income (Amadeo, 12/13/13). Although there are some exceptions to these demands, they are scarce and very expensive. The Democratic Party appears to favor the plan, claiming that it will save Americans two thousand five hundred dollars per person while offering exceptional new benefits such as revoking health insurance companies right’s to deny a patient or increase charges based on pre-existing conditions, age, or gender (ObamaCare facts, 2013). In opposition to t...
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)