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The Impact Of The Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act On Public Health Services

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The Impact of The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on Public Health Services

HSAD 500
Brian M. Mwesigwa
Eastern Washington University – Master of Public Health

Abstract
Attempts for nearly a century in America have failed to establish the principle that every American is entitled to affordable and effective health insurance coverage regardless of their income or health status. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) of 2010 has made this legislation possible. A range of its provisions are designed to expand insurance coverage, target prevention and control costs, which consequently improves population-level health outcomes in all income groups. As a result, the burdens imposed on the …show more content…

When you become uninsured you have limitations in health coverage that could impair affordability and use of needed care (Sonfield, et.al, 2013). Under the new provisions of the PPACA, some of the practices that have been common in the private insurance market such as annual and lifetime limits on coverage and also limitation because of preexisting medical conditions or even gender rating (charging high premiums to women than men) will be eliminated (Sonfield, et.al, 2013)
The PPACA permits young adults aged up to 26 years old to have health insurance without having to be under the plan of their parents’ private health plan (Cantor, et.al, 2012). This provision has led to a significant increase in the number of young adults with health insurance and also a reduction in their uninsured rate. There has been a 25 percent increase in the number of young adults with non-spousal dependent coverage and a nearly 10 percent drop in their uninsured rate between 2009 and 2010. This decline in the uninsured translates to about 716,000 young adults who have been able to access health insurance. This high enrolment and decline in the uninsured young adults is attributed to the public awareness of the PPACA (Cantor, et.al, 2012).
However, there could be financial implications particularly on family premiums which means that there could be a possibility of an increase in the family premiums because of the fact that more young

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