The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Essay Example
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Essay Example

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Essay Example

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  • Pages: 4 (1095 words)
  • Published: November 1, 2021
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The Affordable Care Act, also referred to as the Health and Education Reconciliation Act, was passed on March 23rd, 2010. Nevertheless, it was not until June 1st, 2014 that the responsibilities for employers and individuals outlined in the Act were put into action. Consequently, various aspects such as the functioning of health insurance exchanges, provision of subsidies for small-employer groups, and enlargement of Medicaid were fully implemented (Kieber-Emmons et.al., 2011).

The article discusses the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which includes provisions for cost subsidies sharing, premium creation to modernize health insurance rules, and establishment of a new insurance market. The act also mandates that US citizens and legally insured individuals must have health insurance coverage in order to improve current coverage and create an affordable market for those without employer coverage or other Medicare option

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s. Furthermore, Medicaid will be expanded to include all Americans and legal residents with income below 30% of the federal poverty level, simplifying enrollment.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act aims to ensure that all US citizens have access to quality, effective, and affordable healthcare. This includes individuals who qualify for tax subsidies and enroll through health insurance Exchanges. The Act also seeks to transform the healthcare system by eliminating discriminatory practices such as excluding pre-existing conditions. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the Act is fully funded and will provide coverage for over three quarters of Americans within President Obama's $950 billion limit. Furthermore, it is expected that this legislation will reduce healthcare expenses, decrease the deficit in the next nine years and beyond, while also curbing costs.

To achieve healthcare reforms without increasing health insurance

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premiums, it is important to include all Americans in the coverage system. Families and individuals will receive tax credits to ensure access to insurance, which are crucial for successful reform. The implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act mandates each state to establish an Exchange. This Exchange will assist individuals and small employers in obtaining high-quality insurance coverage with standardized benefits, simplifying comparison and enrollment. It should be noted that those eligible for tax credits for Exchange coverage cannot also receive employer-sponsored insurance or affordable public insurance coverage. Furthermore, tax credits are not available for undocumented immigrants; however, there is a proposal to provide federal support through Community Health Insurance.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act grants states the authority to establish basic health plans for low-income individuals who don't qualify for Medicaid. States can also form partnerships with other states to permit the sale of health insurance that doesn't cover abortion services. This legislation broadens the scope of shared responsibility and provides choices in individual and social market settings, imposing federal standards on small-group markets and employer-sponsored health plans. These requirements build upon what was initially introduced in the 1996 Health Insurance Accountability and Portability Act, including measures such as preventing cancellations, ensuring coverage for children up to age 19, extending coverage to adults up to age 27, and expanding appeal rights following denied claims.

The introduction of broader reforms in 2014 rendered the previous measures ineffective in preventing discrimination in adult coverage. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) was implemented to establish federal standards for health insurance products sold in different settings, including the health insurance marketplace, individual sales, and

employer-sponsored benefit plans. Its purpose is to prohibit discrimination based on age, gender, and preexisting conditions within ten years by prohibiting limitations on annual dollar coverage, excessive waiting periods, and exclusions for preexisting conditions. Community rating is mandated by this law, allowing slight variations in pricing based on age, tobacco use, and family size (Islam et.al., 2015). Moreover, the PPACA ensures fair appeals for denied coverage and requires insurers to incorporate routine medical care into their clinical trials for diseases like cancer. Ultimately, its goal is to improve public health through training programs for healthcare professionals.

The Affordable Care Act not only guarantees access to a streamlined healthcare system for most Americans but also expands coverage for effective and efficient clinical preventive healthcare services in underserved communities (Islam et.al, 2015). These expansions include regulations that eliminate cost-sharing for clinical preventive measures, representing a substantial change in the approach to health insurance and clinical prevention. Furthermore, the Act aims to enhance the national prevention plan by establishing a Prevention and Public Health Trust, which provides financial support for community investments and improves public health outcomes. Approximately $20 billion has been allocated for these initiatives, with additional funding planned for future years to sustain ongoing prevention activities.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is striving to restructure healthcare systems for lasting improvements in healthcare quality, efficiency of healthcare delivery, and transparency. This includes implementing broader changes in Medicare and Medicaid to experiment with new payment and delivery methods in areas such as home care, integrated care organizations, and bundled payments (Kieber-Emmonset.al, 2011). These changes aim to steer the healthcare system towards more integrated clinical approaches while assessing

the quality of care and performance. Furthermore, the Affordable Care Act's health insurance exchange, along with subsidies for small-employer groups and expansions in Medicaid coverage, will facilitate enhancements in chronic health conditions that necessitate hospital admissions and readmissions; all while encouraging participation from private payers. The text underscores the significance of maximizing opportunities across different payers and exerting greater pressure on other institutions as well as healthcare providers.

Qualified health benefit plans will be required to meet federal requirements, such as providing essential benefits and reflecting the plan's benefit classes. If the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act meets these requirements, it will lead to additional, qualified, and improved health benefit plans that can enhance performance in healthcare arenas.

References

  1. Beaussier, A (2009). The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: The Victory of 'Unorthodox Lawmaking'. SSRN Electronic Journal. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1913719
  2. Interested in the Implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act? Readmission. (2010). The Journal For Nurse Practitioners, 6(9), 729-732. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2010.08.003
  3. Islam, N., Nadkarni, S., Zahn, D., Skillman, M., Kwon, S., ; Trinh-Shevrin,
    C.(2015). Integrating Community Health Workers Within Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Implementation.
  4. Journal Of Public Health Management And Practice,(21)1),42-50.

The text encompasses a paragraph tag with two anchor tags:
- The first hyperlink directs to an article titled "Medicaid Expansion and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Lessons and Hopes for Implementation of Healthcare Reform" authored by Kieber-Emmons, A., Bodenheimer, T., & Grumbach, K.
- The second hyperlink leads to an article in the California Journal Of Politics And Policy with the citation "California Journal Of Politics And Policy, 3(4), 1-10."

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