The Second Criterion Is Quality

President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act on March 23, 2010. This law puts in place widespread health insurance reforms that expanded out over the last 4 years and continues to change the lives of many Americans today. Health care reform has been an extensively debated topic for multiple years, and the ACA is the first effective attempt at passing a law aiming to make health care not only affordable, but accessible for all individuals. The law impacts many Americans including, children, employers, government programs which includes federal and state, health plans and private insurers, health care coverage, health care cost, and the quality of care received. The main goal of the law is to expand health care coverage, broaden Medicaid eligibility, minimize and regulate health care cost, and improve the health care delivery system. In order to improve the health care delivery there have been new consumer protections established and an increase access to affordable care.

Americans have been faced with a new health care reform act known as Affordable Care Act initiated in 2010. Why was it so important for this nation to reform is health care system? How are we sure the ACA is improving our system for the American people? For many years, the health care industry has left many Americans uninsured. With health care costs on the rise and very few able to afford costs, and the quality of care in underserved areas not what it should be has left this nation largely unhealthy. Several landmark reports, including the Center for Disease Control factsheets and the Healthy People 2020 have astounding statistics confirming these alarming rates and clearly identifying the need for reform. The Affordable Care Act is the starting foundation for Americans to start investing in their own promotion of wellness and disease prevention. By choosing healthier lifestyle changes, individuals can make a difference which in turn will improve our nation’s overall health for the better.

The Affordable Care Act has given aid to many people in several communities and the impact has changed lives tremendously. The ACA has improved their provisions in a way that has focused on improving the quality of the health care system and efficiency of the ways testing is done within and pay for within those

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law on March 23rd, 2010 by President Barack Obama. This radical health care law was a much-needed step in comprehensive health insurance reform. Three important features of the Affordable Care Act are 1. Improving quality and lowering health care costs 2. New consumer protections and 3. Increased access to healthcare. (Key Features. 2014). Under the umbrella of these three key features additional benefits include free preventive care, drug discounts for senior citizens, increased protection against health care fraud, small business tax credits, increased access to health care through the health insurance marketplace, consumer assistance, and non-discrimination based on pre-existing conditions.

Health care in the United States is driven by a patchwork of services and financing. Americans access health care services in a variety of ways — from private physicians’ offices, to public hospitals, to safety-net providers. This diverse network of health care providers is supported by an equally diverse set of funding streams. The United States spends almost twice as much on health care as any other country, topping $2 trillion each year. (WHO.INT 2000) However, even with overall spending amounting to more than $7,400 per person, millions of individuals cannot access the health care services they need.(Foundation 2009) So when the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (a.k.a the Affordable Care Act or ACA) was passed in the summer

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) (also known as “Obamacare”) is an historic piece of legislation that has had massive effect on healthcare in the United States. Its systemic effects on healthcare in this country are numberous, from insurance to ambulatory care, from healthcare related taxes to healthcare resources, and beyond. That said, the following research paper attempts to summarize how this massive piece of legislation has effected healthcare in the United States, to date; with a particular eye towards the effects on the average healthcare consumer. Lastly, it concludes with reasons to praise the Affordable Care Act. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++=

Healthcare spending growth rate trends show astounding estimates. Since 1960, spending has risen from $27 billion ($143 per capita, 5.1% pf GDP) to amazing $1,678.9 billion ($5,670 per capita, 15.3% of GDP, 2003 data) (HHS, 2005). Recent research estimated that by 2013, healthcare spending will be as high as 18.4% of the Growth Domestic Product. It is important to note that the gradual move from hospital to ambulatory setting has resulted in much higher spending on outpatient hospital services and prescription drugs. The spending growth for these two trends is much higher than the overall healthcare cost growth, which, in fact, increases faster than such important economic indicators as GDP growth, inflation growth, and population growth rates.

The Affordable Care Act, more commonly referred to as the ACA or Obamacare, is a topic of great controversy amongst Americans. The ACA has made changes in every aspect of health care in one fell swoop. Insurers, health care providers, medical equipment suppliers, small businesses and the insured people of America were all affected by the passing of this act. With these changes there are many new advantages to health care that are for the common good. For example, Obamacare has made it so that insurance companies can no longer deny individuals with pre-existing conditions, contraception is free, preventative care screenings come at no cost to the insured regardless of the insurance plan, and there is a cap to what they can make you pay out of pocket in deductible plans. These alterations to health care laws are headed in the right direction, but there are two sides to this coin. With great change, comes great cost and there will be many financial side effects that come from this reform.

In my opnion both are very important, but if I had to choose one over the other I would think that quality of care is more important than access. If there is bad quality care for patients than there is no point of having good health care access. ACA was intended to increase health insurance quality and affordability, lower the uninsured rate by expanding insurance coverage and reduce the costs of healthcare. It introduced mechanisms including mandates, subsidies and insurance exchanges The law requires insurers to accept all applicants, cover a specific list of conditions and charge the same rates regardless of pre-existing conditions or sex. In 2011, the Congressional Budget Office projected that ACA would lower future deficits and Medicare

In March 2010, the Affordable Health Care Act (ACA) was signed into law by President Barack Obama; among the most commendable benefits of the ACA is universal coverage. This act made it possible for people of classes and racial descent in the United States to access health care insurance, regardless of their pre-existing conditions and gender. ACA prevented insurers from denying insurance coverage as a result of any pre-existing conditions, meaning that no one would be excessively charged for health care, left without coverage or, denied treatment due to their health status or condition. This health reform meant a tremendous increase in health insurance coverage for the uninsured, and implemented reforms to the health insurance market

Mason & colleagues (2016) lay out three important areas that the ACA provision addresses. First, the ACA provisions address to Expand access and health insurance coverage to improve insurance coverage currently held by most Americans, which lots of people are aware of the changes to and the expansion of health insurance coverage. The provision immediately made some improvements and forwarded them to the insurance system and others and these are some examples that went to effect; Elimination of lifetime and unreasonable annual limits on benefits, and it also ceased annual limits in 2014. In addition, the ACA provision altered

The macroeconomics of the competitive health insurance marketplace has been disrupted by government involvement through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 was designed to increase the quality, availability, and affordability of private and public health insurance for over 44 million uninsured Americans. NEED SOURCE The law included new regulations, taxes, mandates, and subsidies, which served to reduce the number of uninsured by about 20 million over the seven years NEED SOURCE. Conversely, in 2017, insurance company losses led to a number of high

The ACA is a controversial and complicated piece of legislation, which began rolling health care reform out in 2010 and will continue to do so over the next few years. Rosenbaum (2011) states the Act has five major aims. The first aim is to achieve near-universal coverage while sharing the responsibility among government, employers, and the individuals. The second aim is to improve the quality, affordability, and fairness of health insurance coverage. The third aim is to boost health care value, quality, and efficiency. The fourth aim is to increase access to primary health care. Finally, the fifth aim is to make critical investments in the public’s health (Rosenbaum, 2011).

The implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), popularly known as “Obamacare”, has drastically altered healthcare in America. The goal of this act was to give Americans access to affordable, high quality insurance while simultaneously decreasing overall healthcare spending. The ACA had intended to maximize health care coverage throughout the United States, but this lofty ambition resulted in staggeringly huge financial and human costs.

There is no denying The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (more commonly known as ACA) is the largest health care reform in America’s history. ACA has provided affordable health care to millions of uninsured Americans nationwide. The ACA health care plans on the exchange (Marketplace) have to meet certain criteria, including provide free preventative care. As our economic conditions changed this has forced health care cost to rapidly increase along with the growth of medical care needed for our