Medicare: Health Care and Affordable Care Act

Medicare and Medicaid are programs that have been developed to assist Americans in attainment of quality health care. Both programs were established in 1965 and are federally supported to provide health care coverage to vulnerable populations such as the elderly, the disabled, and people with low incomes. Both Medicare and Medicaid are federally mandated and determine coverage under each program; both are run by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, a federal agency ("What is Medicare? What is Medicaid?” 2008).

Since the late 1980s, Medicare has reimbursed physician services using the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS), which encompasses 10,000 procedure codes. Each code is assigned resource-based relative value units (RVUs), which are designed to reflect physician work, practice expense, and malpractice expense. To adjust for local differences in cost of living, each RVU is modified using geographic practice cost indexes (GPCIs) and then converted to dollars using a “conversion factor.” This system rewards physicians who produce a high volume of services; not surprisingly, Medicare Part B expenditures have grown rapidly.

The Medicare and Medicaid federal programs were put in place as a way to help the less fortunate. Individuals with severe disabilities or over the age of 65 qualify for Medicare. This program helps them with health coverage, so the disabled and elderly who have Medicare do not have to worry about their medical bills and not going to the hospital when they are sick. Medicaid is a similar program, however, it only applies to low income families who cannot provide for their children. Similar to Medicare, this program covers any health related problems and takes away the worry and troubles that come with hospital bills.

The Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare, was passed in March 2010. This over-1000-page Act implements a number of reforms designed to increase the availability of health care for individuals. The Act created a Health Insurance Marketplace, a universal way to sign up for subsidized health care plans (which are cheaper), though you can only get certain plans from certain places, including an expanded Medicaid. It also creates an incentive to purchase health insurance-if you don 't, you 'll have to pay a fine, which is interpreted by many as a tax. Additionally, the Affordable Care Act requires sizable firms to provide a certain level of health care to all of their employees, with certain specifications. Obamacare also attempts to make health care cheaper for many, by trying to even out the cost for everyone.

The Affordable Care Act enabled more people to obtain health insurance, thus receiving healthcare. This offers a larger variety of people to obtain healthcare, in particular, those who cannot afford it. However, this also increased the stress on a fragile healthcare system with limited professionals and has arguably made a push for a refined method of how to provide and extend care to millions of Americans. The access to healthcare and requirements to have health insurance from 2010 to 2014 have grossly changed. In 2010, if someone did not want healthcare, they did not have to get it, but in 2014, there was a fine established if one refused to buy health insurance. At that point, the fines would cost one more annually than actually buying

The changes that have been made have been monumental in the health care world. These changes have been positive as well as negative. This new government policy has come about through the Affordable Care Act, more commonly known as Obamacare. This new program has been so purely monumental, because government until then had not been directly involved with health care as much as they are. Benefits include lower costs, and thousands of uninsured individuals and families with health care. Downsides are more and higher taxes, and health insurance goes up. There has been much controversy centered around this topic, and many debates bring the good and bad points of Obama care. One significant fact about Obamacare, is that a lot of Americans don’t understand what Obama care is and what it actually is designed to accomplish. The important question to ask, is do the benefits outweigh cons? Many say yes, and many would like to challenge that. The Affordable Health Care act was designed to give aid to thousands that did not, or could not have health care and it has done exactly that, however it has made others pay in their place, and the question still stands. Is that right, or wrong?

Through the years people in the Unites States have struggle with issues dealing with having health coverage. In March 2014 Obama care also known as Affordable Care Act was sign into law making it possible for the lower and middle class to be able to afford health insurance. The affordable care act was in congress from 2009 to 2010.With the act been pass it made it easier for the people to qualify and get help and pay so little with no extra cost. Even thought the insurance is not free it is now affordable for people so now people have a wider range of coverage options. With the affordable care act been pass they are hoping with the affordable screening and preventive services they can be more proactive with people’s healthcare and delay

This paper explores the flaws within the healthcare system in America that was passed as the Affordable Care Act and Patient Protection Act (PPACA); although, the intent behind the act was meant to do no harm, it seems as if the Affordable Care Act did more harm than good within the majority of the population. There are many sides to any issue, especially concerning the healthcare system within the United States, but based off of research, statistics, and articles one can obviously perceive it to be a good effort upon the American government. Questions arise upon efficiency from a physical/quality perspective of the American people, and also the monetary aspect. As stated, the issue of the Affordable Care Act is somewhat controversial and the politics of the subject are rarely black and white, but an objective view upon the issue is necessary to fully appreciate the act and constructively analyze the issue at hand, and the concerns that arose due to the act. Signed into the law on March 23rd, 2010 by President Barack Obama were the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). The ACA was expected to revolutionize American healthcare insurance security by expanding healthcare coverage, lowering insurance costs, improving the quality of medical care, etc., but it seemed to have done just the opposite. One can surely assume that the intent behind the healthcare innovation was completely genuine; however, one certainty can observe the issues following the ACA and Patient

Though the United States is known for having the highest quality health care in the

During his presidential announcement speech, Trump’s presented his ideas on how he will bring the American back to life since the American dream is dead in his perspective. Among all the claims he expresses his thoughts on Obamacare, also known as the Affordable Care Act. He affirms “We have a disaster called the big lie: Obamacare. Obamacare." and admits that indeed Obamacare will really kick in 2016. Trump plans on repealing and replacing Obamacare. He plans on granting better health insurance to everyone at an inexpensive cost for the people and for the government. Trump exaggerates the cost to persuade his Republican audience into believing of Obamacare as a catastrophe, however, he fails to backup the data he presents not to mention that the data is wrong.

The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) was initi-ated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to bring about big changes in quality of care by altering payment methods of doctors. MACRA was signed into law in April 2015 by former President Obama. The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) is bipartisan legislation that was passed quietly by Congress without controversy. MACRA significantly alters how the government pays physicians and doctors who treat Medicare patients. It is transforming the way Medicare pays doctors and hospitals for their services by moving away from the traditional fee-for-service method and towards a new payment method that is based on how successful treatments are for

It has been recognized that ever since its passage into law the Affordable Care Act frequently known as Obamacare has and will continue to attract criticism and scrutiny. This is the America`s major and mainly well-liked social indemnity programs. Despite the fact the Affordable Care Act is a highly multifaceted piece of legislation featuring many regulatory and intergovernmental provisions meant to deal with lack of health insurance coverage affecting a variety of diverse groups, Medicare and social security are much more focused programs providing benefits primarily to the aged. Social security and Medicare were in the beginning implemented more without difficulty and with a little of bipartisan support, because in 1935 and 1965 democrats

Person eligible for Medicare include individuals ages sixty-five and over, those with disabilities, and those with end-stage renal disease (Hammaker, 2011). here are three basic entitlement categories: persons 65 years of age or over who are eligible for retirement under Social Security or the railroad retirement system, persons under 65 years of age who have been entitled for at least 2 years to disability benefits under Social Security or the railroad retirement system, and persons with ESRD who do not otherwise meet the age or disability requirements. The latter two groups together are known as the "under 65" enrollees (Petrie, 1992).

On July 30, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the bill that led to the establishment of Medicare and Medicaid. Medicaid is a social protection program that was enacted to provide medical assistance to United States citizens who meet certain eligibility requirements and is jointly operated by the Federal and State government. Although each state is responsible for operating its own Medicaid system, it must comply with established Federal guidelines in order to receive matching funds.

yourself how this new policy will affect the way you care for your patients, report clinical