Health Care Reform Discussion Paper
Discussion
Analyze at least one important feature of the U.S. health care system that is of particular interest to you. Explain why you think this feature is significant in terms of health policy and reform.
An important feature of the US health care system is universal coverage. Unlike other developed countries (such as Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, England and others), the USA does not have universal coverage. However, it is incrementally moving towards securing the right to health care. In this case, approximately 90% of US population has health insurance, leaving about 10% (approximately 30 million people) without health insurance. About 55% of the population is covered under employer-sponsored insurance programs. The government insurance programs (Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP) have sought to address the coverage gaps.
ORDER YOUR PAPER HERE
Health Care Reform Discussion Paper The passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) in 2010 represented the largest expansion (to date) of the government’s role in regulating and financial health care. Implemented in 2014, the legislation helped to improve coverage by expanding Medicaid eligibility, opening health insurance exchanges and marketplaces, extending coverage to younger people, and penalizing those who do not obtain health insurance. The legislation resulted in coverage increasing by approximately 20% (Colton, 2019)Health Care Reform Discussion Paper.
Describe one or more conditions or challenges specifically related to the passing of the PPACA. Explain how this exemplifies the nature of the policy-making process, and evaluate how it could relate to the question of why health reform in the United States has been so difficult.
A challenge that was related to the passing of PPACA is its legality. In 2011, the US Supreme Court heard a petition against PPACA in which its constitutionality was brought into question. This was regarding the insurance mandate that presented an individual mandate tax requiring all legal residents and citizens of the USA to either have health insurance or pay a tax for not having coverage. The main questions asked were the role of the principle of just in grounding health care reform, effectiveness of consumer-driven health care reforms, morality of market-based health care reforms, and responsibility of individuals versus those of society in providing health care. The questions regarding the constitutionality of PPACA are not unique to this legislation, and face other legislations and policies being debated thereby making it difficult to carry out health care reforms in the USA (Chemerinsk, 2019) Health Care Reform Discussion Paper.
References
Chemerinsky, E. (2019). Constitutional Law: Principles and Policies (6th ed.). Aspen Publishing.
Colton, D. (2019). The Case for Universal Health Care. Clarity Press, Inc.
Health Care Reform Discussion Paper
After much public and political debate, in March 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) was signed into law by President Barack Obama. The PPACA is one of many health care reform efforts that have sought to correct key features of the U.S. health care system such as financing, service delivery, and care coordination. This week, you will examine the passage of PPACA as a milestone along the historical continuum of health care reform in the United States. To prepare: Review this week’s Learning Resources and media presentation, reflecting on the evolution of health care in the United States and the public’s response to health care reform efforts historically and currently. Consider: What principal features of the U.S. health care system helped or hindered the enactment of federal health reform in March 2010? What challenges were encountered? How do these conditions and/or challenges reflect characteristics of the policy process and the political environment? By Day 3 Post a cohesive response that addresses the following: Analyze at least one important feature of the U.S. health care system that is of particular interest to you. Explain why you think this feature is significant in terms of health policy and reform. Describe one or more conditions or challenges specifically related to the passing of the PPACA. Explain how this exemplifies the nature of the policy-making process, and evaluate how it could relate to the question of why health reform in the United States has been so difficult.