Affordable Care Act For Employers

A series of events has recently occurred to cause the passage of PPACA. Economics are explicitly linked to health care. In the United States, health care coverage is provided primarily through an employer-based system. This system began in the depression era when pay was federally frozen. Companies, in an attempt to lure scarce workers, used benefits packages including health care as bait. Described as a “uniquely American” “private social security” health care system, the employer-sponsored system is the “cornerstone” of United States health care system (Blumenthal, 2006). This system has left many un- or under-insured. Blumenthal states (2006), “The United States’ dependence on employer-sponsored insurance means that the protection of its citizens against the costs of illness depends directly on the ability of private businesses to manage and absorb health care expenses that have defied all efforts to contain them.” Recently, economic downturn and the need to reduce expenses to better compete on the global market has caused many companies to both reduce their insurance benefits package and their work force causing many to lose their health care coverage. The employer-based system merged with the economic downturn, unaffordable health care costs for businesses, and

Health care is one of the major political issues facing the nation today. Most industrialized countries have national healthcare system, while the United States only provide coverage for those who are eligible under government programs like Medicare and Medicaid. As the cost of health care to continue to increase, many question the role of the government while other blame insurance companies for increase in premium.

The delay of the enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will allow for small businesses to increase employee hours as well as hire additional employees until 2015 when the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will take affect for businesses.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), issued in 2010 by Former U.S. President Barack Obama, has caused such a controversy due to its way of reforming today’s healthcare system. Although, the Affordable Care Act has so far been the most important piece of health care legislation passed ever since the Social Security Act of 1965, which established medicaid to the elderly. In recent events in U.S. politics of 2017, our newly elected Republican President Donald J. Trump and the majority of Republicans plan to overthrow and replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, with a more “affordable” way to gain health insurance named “the American Health Care Act”(AHCA). However, they have not realized that modifying the

The Affordable Healthcare Act makes healthcare and health insurance more affordable and more available to more Americans. It is able to do this by new consumer protections, rules and regulations on the healthcare industry. This is shown when creating a marketplace for subsidized insurance, and reforming and expanding public healthcare programs. These include Medicare and Medicaid. This act can also include measures to cut the growth in healthcare spending in the United States.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), commonly referred to as “Obamacare,” completely changed the American healthcare system. The purpose of the bill was to lower the cost of healthcare, improve health outcomes, and lower the national uninsured rate. To lower the cost of healthcare, the bill provides federal subsidies for government-sponsored healthcare plans to any person or family whose income is between one and four times the federal poverty level and is not covered by their employer, Medicaid, or Medicare (Neporent). In addition, the bill allows children to stay on their parents’ insurance plans until they are 26. Previously, children could only be on their parents’ plans until age 19 ("Is the Affordable Care Act Working?").

Affordable health care for everyone, sounds great for the citizens that have been affected or know someone that has been affected by bills that are left behind after treatment. However, there is a great deal of flaws with this. “As of 2014 all citizens of the U.S. were expected to be insured with minimal health care or face fines during the tax season of 2015, with the exception that they meet certain requirements” (Lawson 117). The PPACAs intention is to reduce the cost of health care insurance making it accessible for the American public, to decrease the national deficit, and to promote a healthier America. Little does the government know is that what will come out of this act is going to be worse. Is the Affordable Care Act going to

Rising medical costs are a worldwide problem, but nowhere are they higher than in the U.S. Although Americans with good health insurance coverage may get the best medical treatment in the world, the health of the average American, as measured by life expectancy and infant mortality, is below the average of other major industrial countries. Inefficiency, fraud and the expense of malpractice suits are often blamed for high U.S. costs, but the major reason is overinvestment in technology and personnel.Health care costs are far higher in the United States than in any other advanced nation, whether measured in total dollars spent, as a percentage of the economy, or on a per capita basis. And health costs here have been rising significantly faster

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) of 2010, also known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA), is a legislation designed to extend coverage to the uninsured, eliminate practices that include rescission and denial of coverage due to pre-existing conditions, and lower health care costs. Moreover, the PPACA provides incentives to businesses to offer health insurance or impose penalties on business that do not provide coverage, and require individuals without health insurance to purchase reasonably priced polices through health insurance exchanges (Martocchio, 2014, p. 143). This health reform legislation was taken into effect in 2010, and is expected to complete implementation over the next few years.

But what happens when companies start to come close to the 50 employee point? They will cut employees’ hours back to a part-time status to 30 hours in order to stay afloat (Stevens & Harler, 2012). On top of this, employees who

“Even individuals who are currently insured — and happy with their insurance — will have to switch to insurance that meets the government’s definition of “acceptable insurance.” (Tanner) Also, obamacare will cause a rise in unemployment. “Obamacare will lead more than 2.5 million people to stop working or to work less by 2024.” (Kelly) These people kept their jobs because it was their main source of health insurance and Obama care will now carry that insurance. However, those who need to work because they needed the income to support their families are having their hours cut, because their employers do not have to pay for their health insurance if they are part time employees. “Perverse incentives are causing nightmare scenarios. First, the law creates an incentive for employers to keep employees’ work hours below 30 hours a week.” (Hoar) Since the employees have less hours they will have less pay along with losing their health benefits. Some of the people who are going to be without a job are the doctors. In the year 2020, the United States will need over ninety thousand doctors to reach the medical demand. Why do they predict a shortage? One reason is that many are planning to retire early because of Obamacare. Another reason is they fear they can not

My understanding of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA) is average to above average and specifically how it affects me and other individuals. According to Kaiser (2013) the main component of PPACA is most individuals and legal residents are required to have health insurance. To accomplish the goal of reducing the 40 million uninsured is for Medicaid expands to 133% of the federal poverty level (Lammers, n.d.). Next, adult individuals whom are 26 years of age or younger can be covered under their parents’ insurance plan and children and adults can’t be denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions.

Under the new health care reform law over 47 million women will have access to women’s services with no out of pocket costs for preventative and wellness services (Obamacare, 2013). The low-income individuals will have the opportunity of getting health insurance coverage through the state exchange, Medicare, or Medicaid; however some states have opted out of the Medicaid expansion in which some low-income individuals will not be eligible. Seniors and other individuals eligible for Medicare will see expanding benefits and coverage options; however there will be decreases in home health payments and hospital coverage as well. Obamacare will require businesses with over 50 full-time employees to provide affordable health insurance coverage to its employees however small businesses with 25 employees or less will receive federal tax credits to help offset the costs that a small business will face to encourage these businesses to provide health coverage to

There are currently 44 million Americans who were unable to obtain health insurance before the reforms because they could not afford the premiums or because they had a pre-existing condition. “Obama Care” is a tax funded government program which helps these individuals obtain insurance by expanding Medicare and Medicaid and offering cost assistance through health insurance market places. It also provides reforms to the health care industry iin order to cut health care costs and provide affordable health insurance to all. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (or PPACA) originated as a Massachusetts law signed into effect

It was stated earlier in this paper that big businesses would benefit from this law; however, the exact opposite is true for small businesses. Businesses will be forced to provide healthcare for their employees or pay a fine, something they may not be able to afford. This may result in employees’ hours being cut or even the termination of the employee (“ObamaCare”).