Many Americans were led to believe that the introduction of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2009 would put an end to disparities in health care access. While it did improve the situation for a small percentage of the population there are still many Americans who lack access to good quality health care. Health care access in America is determined by money and those in lower socioeconomic groups frequently tend to miss out on adequate care. In a recent health care report by the national health research foundation Kaiser Family Foundation, it was noted “health care disparities remain a persistent problem in the United States, leading to certain groups being at higher risk of being uninsured, having limited access to care, and experiencing poorer quality of care” (Kaiser Family Foundation). The current health care
Since the passing of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), twenty-eight states have either filed joint or individual lawsuits to strike down the PPACA. This document will examine a few key elements that the President of the United States must take into consideration when reviewing the act and moving forward to either ratify the act, replace the act, or leave the act as it is. Topics that will be presented will include; the current issues being debated, two competing thoughts on how to fix the ACA, an evaluation of the preferred solution, and finally the responsibility of each level of government.
Since the end of the American Civil War, Federalism has been a very important idea in the United States. Federalism has appeared in many instances within different governmental ideas. The original idea of Federalism gave up states’ rights and handed them to the government to create a more centralized federal system. Over time Federalism has had many views by different leaders in our government. These viewpoints began with Ronald Reagan’s idea of “New-Federalism,” and carried on throughout time involving the Violence Against Women Act and more recently the urge to modify the Affordable Care Act.
In the United States, Medicare is the program supports people over age 65 with medical care. It also provides support for persons with certain disabilities and people of all ages who have kidney failure. Medicaid is a state administered program that provides medical support for a broad range of people. However, each state administers Medicaid individually and this creates inconsistencies in the program across the country. There are specific rules for judging just how much money someone receiving Medicaid can make and be eligible. In addition, there are separate rules for people in nursing homes and children with disabilities who live at home. There is a long list of regulations that explain who is eligible for which services. The Patient Protection
The nature of the current debate surrounding the implementation of universal healthcare in America is troubling because it is comprised almost entirely of pragmatic arguments void of concern for the principles behind the project. Before one asks how much a thing will cost, how it will be organized, or whether “the uninsured” will benefit, one should ask whether enacting universal healthcare is in keeping with the values and principles of the American experiment. In other words, is universal healthcare good for America?
There are several things that can be taking into consideration such as social services or social supports. The United States spend more on medical cost than any industrialized country, which is causing problems. If an individual can become healthier, then it’s possible that the healthcare could see changes within the paradox. One issue that America faces is the health care system and how we spend more on medical treatment than saving less. Things that should be address is why are spending so much in health care, than other countries? The life expectancy rate in another country has decreased compared to the United States because of different methods that use such as, social support and social services. The welfare of an individual is important, but we’re constantly spending more on health care due to fact, individuals can’t afford health insurance. This issue has been a problem for decades now and it appears to be that America is ignoring the fact, which something drastically needs to change, in order to get better results. In this book review, I will discuss the differences between social supports and social services, how America health care system is different from other countries and what kind of changes should be made in order to have a much and improved health care
The expansion of Medicaid through the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has initiated many states to try innovative ideas to improve their Medicaid programs. Many states, like Minnesota, had started the reform process prior to the passage of the ACA with the purpose of improving the quality of care for Medicaid beneficiaries and to utilize a more cost-effective system to provide Medicaid benefits. One of the innovative ideas that states like Minnesota is implementing is the use of accountable care organizations (ACOs). This paper will explore ACOs by studying the reforms within the Minnesota Medicaid program.
Some detractors of a single payer health care system immediately point to the burdensome cost which would be placed on the average citizen in order to pay for such a system; however, A single payer health care system would be a manageable cost and would save most Americans money. One single payer critic made the claim that Single payer would be impossible because of the financial hit that it would require the U.S. to take, therefore making the very proposal of a single payer health system a politically toxic proposal that would lead to the souring of the electorate(McArdle n. pag). While Miss McArdle isn’t wrong in the fact that any single payer system would cost a considerable amount of money, she is mistaken in thinking that it would be
“Healthcare Reform 101,” written by Rick Panning (2014), is a wonderful article that describes, in an easy-to-understand language, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, signed into law March 23, 2010. The main goal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was to provide affordable, quality healthcare to Americans while simultaneously reducing some of the country’s economic problems. Two areas will be covered throughout this paper. The first section will include a summary of the major points and highlights of Panning’s (2014) article, including an introduction to the ACA, goals of the signed legislation, provided coverage, and downfalls of the current healthcare system. The second part will be comprised of a professional
Governor John Bel Edwards of Louisiana enacted an executive order on January 14 to expand Medicaid through Obamacare in the state. The order will be effective July 1, 2016.
Welfare Abuse “Today, we are ending welfare as we know it, but I hope this day will be remembered not for what it ended, but for what it began” (Welfare Reform). These words were spoken by President Clinton during the signing ceremony of his passed legislature that called for a drastic reform of the welfare system. After years of implementation, the current welfare system of the time, the AFDC, had been said to cause familial issues when it was meant to be providing aid to families in poverty. It had been accused of promoting fatherless children and providing the poor and out-of-work with reasons and motives to stay unemployed. Being funded by taxes, it does not make much sense to continue a program that hinders both those receiving it
On February 12, 2006, President Bush stated that competition between Medicare prescription drug plans has reduced costs for beneficiaries and taxpayers and that, on average, Medicare beneficiaries will pay about half of the amount that they paid for medications before the drug benefit was implemented. (American Health Line, Monday, February 13, 2006,
Many people believe healthcare reform is a bad idea and that the government should stay away from healthcare. However, there are many other people who believe that it is a great thing that the government got involved, and created programs to register for mandatory health-care. In, “Healthcare Reform 101”, author Rick Panning discusses some of the main goals of the Affordable Healthcare Act, which are universality, financing, cost reduction, payment reform, quality and process improvement, prevention and wellness. As most of these goals are in some way or form about money, “one could easily argue that the ACA is more about payment reform, than true comprehensive healthcare reform…” (Panning 107). It is safe to assume that, that this what
Health care should not be considered a political argument in America; it is a matter of basic human rights. Something that many people seem to forget is that the US is the only industrialized western nation that lacks a universal health care system. The National Health Care Disparities Report, as well as author and health care worker Nicholas Conley and Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP), strongly suggest that the US needs a universal health care system. The most secure solution for many problems in America, such as wasted spending on a flawed non-universal health care system and 46.8 million Americans being uninsured, is to organize a national health care program in the US that covers all citizens for medical necessities.
Should the government play a key role in aiding the uninsured, or should market forces reign supreme?