The Affordable Care Act Analysis

When President Obama was elected into office in 2008, one of his promises was to reform the American Health Care System. On March 23, 2010 he succeeded by enacting the Affordable Care Act into law. According to the official Medicaid website (2015), “The Affordable Care Act is a combination of two piece of legislation titled The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and Healthcare and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. The main goal of the Affordable Care Act is to provide American citizens with better health security by putting in place health insurance reforms that will: Expand coverage, hold insurance companies liable, lower health care cost, guarantee more choice, and enhance the quality of care for all Americans.” The Affordable

Homeless Americans are some of the most desperate citizens in need of medical coverage due to how poverty negatively affects their health. According to the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), “Many homless people in America suffer from serious health challenges including: Mental health, substance abuse, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, liver disease, and hypertension”. These are very serious medical issues, and it can be extremely difficult for homeless people to get help on these issues due to their unemployed status. USICH reports have also shown that, “Homeless people rely on emergency room visits and uncompensated hospital care.” The results are this are not only dangerous for the homeless, but they also have adverse effects on all American systems. Due to uncompensated hospital care, the care homeless people receive is often poor quality, and it also raises the public coast of American citizens as a whole. USICH has made predications that the Affordable Care Act will greatly benefit people from homelessness in three major ways (2015): Firstly, it makes health insurance more accessible and affordable by expanding both private insurance and Medicaid eligibility. In addition, homeless people are also guaranteed behavioral health care, rehabilitative service, and tenancy supports after they become more financially stable. Lastly, the Affordable Care Act changes the focus on the healthcare delivery to outcomes and values. These changes not only help the homeless get out of their financial status, but it also provides exciting opportunities for social workers to get involved with healthcare. Homeless people will be able to acquire two forms of health coverage. Medicaid is the main option that most homeless people will be able to qualify for. Homeless people who are earning less than 133 percent of the Federal Poverty