{"id":45758,"date":"2024-09-30T02:32:24","date_gmt":"2024-09-30T02:32:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/essays.homeworkacetutors.com\/2024\/09\/the-affordable-care-act-history-and-analysis\/"},"modified":"2024-09-30T02:32:24","modified_gmt":"2024-09-30T02:32:24","slug":"the-affordable-care-act-history-and-analysis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colapapers.com\/us\/the-affordable-care-act-history-and-analysis\/","title":{"rendered":"The Affordable Care Act: History and Analysis"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

The
\nAffordable Care Act \u2013 ACA<\/h3>\n

A public policy that expressed shared responsibility successfully changed health insurance in the United States.\u00a0 A reform that covered the entire insurance market eliminated a major discriminatory practice of excluding pre-existing condition. \u00a0These statements confirm the effective implementation of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) or the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) or simply Obamacare as it ensures coverage for all Americans through tax credits that make insurance affordable for everyone.\u00a0 The ACA reforms the health insurance industry<\/a> and the American health care system as a whole and provides Americans more\u00a0rights and protections as it expands access to affordable quality health care to millions of uninsured.<\/p>\n

Before the implementation of the ACA the
\nhealth care system is very difficult for many Americans to participate in
\nbecause health insurance is very expensive.\u00a0
\nThose who live in poverty qualify for\u00a0free healthcare paid by the
\ngovernment or the Medicaid; and those who are older than 65 obtain\u00a0Medicare\u00a0in
\nwhich the government subsidizes for its premiums.\u00a0 However, there are still many unqualified
\nincluding the self-employed, those persons who are not able to obtain health
\ninsurance through their jobs, and minors (Willis, 2017), hence they have no
\nmeans of paying for healthcare. Most frequently are the instances in which
\ninsurance was even denied to people with medical conditions thus, without any
\ninsurance to pay for treatments.<\/p>\n

The Uninsured<\/em><\/h3>\n

It has been a misconception that the uninsured are those who do not have jobs are those who just do not want insurance.\u00a0 The majority of these uninsured were working families who cannot afford or do not have access to health insurance.\u00a0 The primary reasons for Americans being uninsured are cost and job loss with poor working families as the most likely to be uninsured.\u00a0 In America, \u201cthe uninsured are more likely to die than those with insurance; are less likely to have a usual source of care outside of the emergency room; often go without screenings and preventive care; often delay or go without needed medical care; and pay more for medical care\u201d (Obamacare Facts, 2017).<\/p>\n

Affordable
\nCare Act (ACA): Definition <\/em><\/h3>\n

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is most commonly known as the Affordable Care Act or ACA is a health reform legislation signed into law by President Barack Obama in March 2010 (ObamaCare Facts, 2016) which puts in place comprehensive health insurance reforms to provide Americans with better health security such as: expanded coverage; holding insurance companies accountable; lower health care costs; guaranteed more choice; and enhanced quality of care for all Americans. The ACA\u2019s major provisions include the following descriptions: <\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Eligibility\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 9.\u00a0\u00a0 Dual eligible<\/li>\n
  2. Financing\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a010.\u00a0\u00a0 Provider payments<\/li>\n
  3. Information Technology Systems and Data\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a011.\u00a0 Program transparency<\/li>\n
  4. Coordination with Affordable Insurance Exchanges\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 12.\u00a0\u00a0 Program integrity<\/li>\n
  5. Benefits\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a013. Prevention<\/li>\n
  6. Community-based long term services and supports \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/li>\n
  7. Quality of care and delivery systems<\/li>\n
  8. Children\u2019s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The ACA was signed
    \ninto law on March 23, 2010 and upheld by a Supreme Court ruling on June 28,
    \n2012. \u00a0\u201cThe ACA was signed into law to
    \naddress the national\u00a0health care crisis\u00a0and to make insurance more
    \naffordable and available for the 44 million\u00a0uninsured\u00a0people. This law
    \nrequires all Americans to have health insurance by 2014 or pay a per month fee
    \nfor each month without\u00a0minimum essential coverage\u201d (ObamaCare Facts, 2016).\u00a0 This\u00a0shared responsibility provision is referred
    \nto as a tax and not a mandate and is introduced as a new way to purchase
    \ninsurance.\u00a0 The ACA allows the
    \npossibility of being able to purchase insurance through\u00a0state health insurance
    \nmarketplaces\u00a0that provides buyers with cost assistance and be able to compare
    \nplans.\u00a0 As the ACA requires that all
    \nAmericans purchase a\u00a0private health care\u00a0plan, and get
    \nan\u00a0exemption\u00a0or pay a tax penalty on their federal income\u00a0taxes,
    \nthe law also implements new\u00a0benefits, rights and protections\u00a0leading
    \nto better quality and more\u00a0affordable health insurance. \u201cThe ACA refers to
    \ntwo separate pieces of legislation of \u00a0the (PPACA)\u00a0(P.L. 111-148) and the Health
    \nCare and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-152); and both of these
    \nlaws expand Medicaid coverage to millions of low-income Americans and makes
    \nnumerous improvements to both\u00a0Medicaid and the Children\u2019s Health Insurance
    \nProgram (CHIP)\u201d (Medicaid, 2016).<\/p>\n

    The ACA improves the health care industry including the minimum standards of what health insurance must cover. \u00a0The 44 million Americans who are currently without health insurance are projected to be covered under this health care law and be included among the recipients of better preventive care, women\u2019s health services, and better care for seniors and expanded coverage of the poorest people in America. \u00a0ACA\u2019s provisions protect consumers by holding the insurance companies liable as they can \u201cno longer deny individuals for pre-existing conditions or being able to drop their coverage for being sick, free preventive treatments, and the elimination of discrimination, and annual and lifetime limits on essential health benefits; and that all plans sold on off the insurance exchange include ten essential benefits and have a minimum actuarial value\u201d (ObamaCare Facts, 2016).\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/p>\n

    \u00a0Why\u00a0has ACA been so
    \nopposed?<\/em><\/h3>\n

    The ACA boasts of
    \nits capability to save low to middle-income families and small businesses
    \nbillions of dollars by providing reduced costs and reduced premiums to millions
    \nof Americans through marketplace subsidies. \u00a0\u201cThe ACA was passed by a Democratic Congress
    \nand signed into law by a Democratic president in 2010 with the consistent
    \nopposition from Republican congressmen, governors, and Republican candidates\u201d
    \n(Dalen et al., 2015).\u00a0 <\/p>\n

    The opposition to a government role in health care<\/a> is based on the fact that that the large majority of American citizens do not trust the American government, particularly Republicans who are much less trusting of the federal government and much less supportive of a government role in health care than Democrats. Those in the opposition generally ignore the most important goal of the ACA which is to improve the health of Americans by increasing the number covered by health insurance. \u00a0\u201cPeople have lost the doctors and health plans they valued, many are being forced to pay penalties for not buying ObamaCare\u2019s expensive mandated insurance, others are finding they must pay back subsidies they received last year; many workers have lost jobs and hours because businesses couldn\u2019t afford to provide ObamaCare\u2019s expensive benefits or pay thousands of dollars in penalties\u201d (Turner, 2015).\u00a0 It is significant to note that with just on the first year of ACA\u2019s implementation is a recorded more than 10 million citizens who have gained health insurance. \u00a0\u201cThe percentage of Americans without health insurance decreased from 18% in July 2013 to 13.4% in June 2014. In addition, the ACA has eliminated many of the negative features of private insurance such as the denial of coverage for those with prior conditions\u201d (Dalen et al., 2015). <\/p>\n

    Total
    \nCosts of the Affordable Care Act<\/em><\/h3>\n

    The Congressional
    \nBudget Office (CBO) has presented its estimates on the ACA\u2019s costs and impact
    \non insurance coverage with the \u201ctotal net cost of the insurance coverage
    \nprovisions of the law to be over $1 trillion after 10 years from 2016 through
    \n2025. This gross cost includes spending on subsidies for insurance from the
    \nexchanges, tax credits to small businesses and expanded Medicaid coverage (Fatcheck,
    \n2015).\u00a0 The insurance-related provisions
    \nimplies that\u00a0\u201c6 in 10 Americans can get covered for $100 or less\u00a0on
    \nthe\u00a0Health Insurance Marketplace,\u00a0with the average plan costing
    \njust\u00a0$82\u00a0after\u00a0Premium Tax Credits\u00a0in 2014. \u00a0This\u00a0trend of low costs for those with
    \ncost assistance has generally continued each year due to the way premiums are
    \ncapped based on income\u201d (ObamaCare Facts, 2016).\u00a0 The CBO stated that gross amount that will be
    \nspent in the following 10 years is for insurance subsidies from exchanges and
    \nrelated spending and revenues, for Medicaid and CHIP, and for tax credits for
    \nsmall employers. <\/p>\n

    The ACA does not sell health insurance, but creates a marketplace for Americans to buy regulated and subsidized private insurance. \u00a0\u201cMost Americans have to either: obtain health insurance known as minimum essential coverage and maintain it throughout the year, or pay a shared responsibility fee for every month they go without coverage. \u00a0Many qualify for lower costs on monthly premiums and out-of-pocket costs via cost assistance subsidies through the marketplace\u201d (ObamaCare Facts, 2016).\u00a0 Cost assistance is based on income and includes \u201cPremium Tax Credits, which lower monthly premiums, and Cost Sharing Reduction subsidies, which lower out-of-pocket costs like co-pays, coinsurance, deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums. \u00a0However, those who have access to affordable employer-sponsored insurance won\u2019t be eligible for subsidies\u201d (ObamaCare Facts, 2016).\u00a0 <\/p>\n

    Impact of\u00a0ACA
    \non Small Businesses<\/em><\/h3>\n

    The ACA mandates an
    \nemployer to provide full-time employees with comprehensive health insurance. \u00a0The enforcement of this mandate was initiated
    \non 2015 for employers with more than 99 full-time employees. \u00a0Employers with 50 to 99 full-time workers began
    \nto comply on 2016. Businesses with less than 50 employees will not be sanctioned
    \nwith penalties. \u00a0Employers are also prohibited
    \nto place burdensome amount of premiums on some employees as payment based on a
    \npercentage of their wage income (Herrick, 2014). \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

    Much of the burden
    \nof complying with the ACA falls on small businesses as it affects how
    \nbusinesses operate such as the hiring of employees, employee compensation, and growth.
    \nThe ACA provides small employers a temporary health insurance tax credit as
    \nthey are able to employ moderately-paid workers. The credit is only available
    \nfor six years for those businesses that have 25 or lesser employees with average
    \nwage of less than $50,000.00 (Herrick, 2014). \u00a0Small businesses obtain group health coverage
    \nfrom insurers with cost-increasing regulations, and must renew annually their
    \ncoverage compared to large corporations, thus it is to self-insure by paying
    \nthe medical bills of their employees and hiring insurers to manage health
    \nbenefits (Herrick, 2014). \u00a0Health
    \nbenefits are included in the significant expenses for employers as a
    \nsubstantial portion of the total compensation of workers. The CBO evaluation
    \nindicates that the required coverage for an individual will cost $5,800 or more
    \nin 2016 which is equivalent to an additional $3 per hour of minimum health
    \nwage. Family coverage is estimated to cost more than twice that amount as
    \nillustrated by the cost of employee health benefits at $2.70 per hour which is,
    \naccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 8.5 percent of the private
    \nindustry worker\u2019s total compensation (Herrick, 2014). \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

    What are
    \nthe\u00a0Health Insurance Exchanges?<\/em><\/h3>\n

    The ACA\u2019s\u00a0Health
    \nInsurance Exchanges is also called the Health Insurance Marketplace, and was opened
    \non October 1, 2013. \u00a0\u201cExchanges are State,
    \nFederal or join-run depending on your State\u201d (ObamaCAre Facts, 2016). \u00a0 The
    \nACA health insurance exchanges or ObamaCare exchanges are online marketplaces
    \nfor health insurance where Americans can obtain coverage from competing private
    \nhealth care providers. \u201cShoppers can use a price calculator to see if they
    \nqualify for\u00a0cost assistance subsidies\u00a0(as well as\u00a0Medicaid\u00a0and\u00a0CHIP)
    \nand see side-by-side comparisons of qualified health plans ensuring the best
    \ndeal for them and their family. \u00a0The
    \nhealth insurance marketplaces (also known as exchanges) are estimated to
    \nprovide up to 29 million people with affordable health insurance by 2019\u201d
    \n(ObamaCAre Facts, 2016). \u00a0 Marketplaces going into open enrolment 2015
    \noffers enrolling in a new plan,\u00a0change plans, verify cost assistance, enroll
    \nin Medicaid and CHIP, and to apply for\u00a0cost assistance which can
    \ninclude\u00a0premium subsidies and out-of-pocket subsidies depending on income.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

    One
    \nmust obtain or\u00a0maintain minimum essential coverage\u00a0(all marketplace
    \nplans are minimum essential coverage), or\u00a0qualify for an exemption,
    \nduring\u00a0open enrolment\u00a0to avoid owing\u00a0the per month fee for not
    \nhaving coverage.\u00a0 In the individual and
    \nfamily market open\u00a0enrolment is the only time you can switch plans or buy
    \na new plan, this is true whether you use the marketplaces or shop outside of
    \nthe marketplaces.\u00a0 Missing out on open
    \nenrolment renders one unable to\u00a0buy a major medical health plan\u00a0that
    \ncounts as\u00a0minimum essential coverage unless the person qualifies
    \nfor\u00a0a special enrolment period\u201d (ObanaCare Facts, 2016).\u00a0 One must have coverage by the end of each
    \nyear\u2019s open enrolment\u00a0to avoid the per month fee for not having health
    \ninsurance for that year (ObamaCAre Facts, 2016). \u00a0<\/p>\n

    Impact on Medicaid
    \nand Medicare<\/em><\/h3>\n

    The benefits of Medicare are demonstrated in the decreased cost of prescription drugs and the elimination of co-pays for preventive services. The following are the effects of ACA on Medicare:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • ACA protects one\u2019s
      \nMedicare coverage. <\/li>\n
    • One need not replace his
      \nor her Medicare coverage with Marketplace coverage as Medicare is not part of
      \nthe Health Insurance Marketplace established by the health care law, thus ACA
      \nmaintains the current and same benefits and security with an obtained Medicare,
      \nwhether through Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage Plan. <\/li>\n
    • ACA provides more
      \npreventive services, for less making Medicare cover specific\u00a0preventive
      \nservices \u2013\u00a0mammograms\u00a0or\u00a0colonoscopies, without charging a
      \nperson for the Part B coinsurance or deductible. <\/li>\n
    • ACA can save money on
      \nbrand-name drugs and even provide a 55% discount in the purchase of Part
      \nD-covered brand-name prescription drugs. <\/li>\n
    • Doctors get more support
      \nwith new initiatives to support\u00a0care coordination and get additional
      \nresources to make sure that the patients\u2019 treatments are consistent. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      \u201cThe health care law ensures the
      \nprotection of Medicare for years to come.\u00a0The life of the Medicare Trust
      \nfund will be extended to at least 2029\u2014a 12-year extension due to reductions in
      \nwaste, fraud and abuse, and Medicare costs, which will provide you with future
      \nsavings on your premiums and coinsurance\u201d (Medicare, 2016). <\/p>\n

      The
      \nPros and Cons of the ACA<\/em><\/h3>\n

      The pros and cons of the ACA reflect the complex nature of the new health care law. \u00a0The ACA contains many benefits for low and middle income families and businesses, but it also contains some obstacles for high earners, larger firms that do not insure their employees, and certain sectors of the healthcare industry.\u00a0 The ACA regulates private insurance to ensure an individual more rights and protections despite much opposition which explain the need to illustrate ACA\u2019s pros and cons just as provided in the ObamaCare Facts online source:<\/p>\n

      Pros:<\/h4>\n
        \n
      • Uninsured
        \npeople\u00a0have access to affordable, high-quality health insurance through
        \nMedicaid expansion, their employers, and the\u00a0Health Insurance Marketplace.\n<\/li>\n
      • Uninsured Americans can
        \nget free or low cost health insurance,\u00a0and some can get\u00a0help on
        \nout-of-pocket costs\u00a0using their state\u2019s Health Insurance Marketplace.<\/li>\n
      • More private coverage
        \noptions with all major medical coverage options providing\u00a0minimum
        \nessential coverage. <\/li>\n
      • Provides cost-curbing
        \nmeasures.<\/li>\n
      • \u00a0Small
        \nbusinesses\u00a0with less than 25 full-time equivalent employees can
        \nget\u00a0tax credits\u00a0for up to 50% of their employees\u2019 health insurance
        \npremium costs. <\/li>\n
      • Medicare has improved for
        \nseniors by measures that eliminate the donut hole, keep rates down, cut wasteful
        \nspending and fraud, and expand free preventive services. <\/li>\n
      • The ACA remains a free
        \nmarket and allows our $3 trillion dollar healthcare industry to thrive.
        \n(ObamaCare Facts, 2016)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Cons:<\/h4>\n
          \n
        • To get the money to help
          \ninsure all these people, there are new\u00a0taxes that may affect an individual
          \ndirectly are the\u00a0individual mandate\u00a0and the\u00a0employer mandate.<\/li>\n
        • All Americans who can
          \nafford health insurance\u00a0have to obtain health coverage, get
          \nan\u00a0exemption, or pay a fee which creates\u00a0an extra complication
          \nwith\u00a0regards to\u00a0filing taxes. Some folks who just barely miss
          \nthe\u00a0Federal Poverty Level\u00a0limit of 400% are hit the hardest as they
          \ndon\u2019t qualify for assistance. Those who do get cost assistance will need to
          \nadjust tax credits on the\u00a08962 \u2013 Premium Tax Credit form.<\/li>\n
        • More options mean more
          \ncomplicated shopping for coverage. Keeping a\u00a0private health insurance
          \nsystem\u00a0means that shopping for health insurance can be confusing, and
          \nconsumers risk over-buying or\u00a0under-buying. Coverage options also, by
          \nnature, create a tiered healthcare system where more money equates to a better
          \nquality of care. However, in that respect, nothing has changed.<\/li>\n
        • Insurance companies must
          \ncover sick people, and this increases the cost of everyone\u2019s insurance. Most
          \npeople must obtain coverage or pay a per-month fee. Some people were benefiting
          \nfrom being in a low-risk group than men in good health with no pre-existing
          \nconditions, who were not responsible for anyone but themselves, and who remained
          \nhealthy had low insurance costs. <\/li>\n
        • Medicaid expanded using
          \nFederal and State funding. Not all States have to expand Medicaid. \u00a0<\/li>\n
        • \u00a0Employee health benefits can be expensive.
          \nLower wage workers may end up getting better value through the marketplace, but
          \nhaving employer-sponsored coverage means that they can\u2019t get cost assistance. (ObamaCare
          \nFacts, 2016)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          The ACA Health Insurance exchanges
          \ncontinue to prove its effectiveness in reducing the number of uninsured as they
          \nprovide the essential information for people to make an informed selection
          \nabout which plan is best for their needs. \u00a0The ACA has brought about major improvements
          \nin how health coverage is purchased, but also in lowering cost and increasing
          \nquality outcomes.\u00a0 The ACA has established
          \nuniversal coverage and shared responsibility as well as set federal standards
          \nfor health insurers offering products in both the individual and small-group
          \nmarkets and employer-sponsored health benefit plans. \u00a0There may be the technical challenges in the establishment
          \nof the law \u00a0because \u201cthe question of whether the law falls within
          \nCongress\u2019 constitutional powers\u00a0rests on whether the courts come to view
          \nthe legislation as regulating our economic approach to the purchase of health
          \ncare (because we all use care, the issue becomes how to pay for it), or instead
          \n(as the law\u2019s opponents argue) as a law that forces individuals, as passive
          \nnon-economic actors, to buy a product they do not want\u201d (Rosenbaum, 2011). \u00a0<\/p>\n

          The ACA has set an
          \narray of federal standards for insurers that sell products in both the
          \nindividual and group health insurance markets, as well as for self-insured
          \ngroup health benefit plans sponsored by employers.\u00a0 The ACA has proven its worth in: \u201cimproving
          \nhealth-care quality, efficiency, and accountability, making primary health care
          \nmore accessible to medically underserved populations, improving the public\u2019s
          \nhealth and training health professionals, and providing long-term care\u201d
          \n(Rosenbaum, 2011).\u00a0 \u201cThe ACA is
          \ntransformational and has faced the great task of implementation with opportunities
          \nfor major advances in public health policy and practice are simply
          \nunparalleled. The Act represents a singular opportunity not only to transform
          \ncoverage and care, but also to rethink the basic mission of public health in a
          \nnation with universal coverage (Rosenbaum, 2011).\u00a0 The ACA has brought significant changes which
          \ninclude among others the following:<\/p>\n

            \n
          • Lowered spending posting
            \nthe slowest growth rate in healthcare expenditure after 1960 and brought huge
            \nreduction in uninsured rates as it provides access and increases
            \naffordability.\u00a0 The June 2016 Urban
            \nInstitute report on total coverage and costs stated that the long-term projections
            \nof spending are found to be $2.6 trillion less. Spending projected by 2020
            \nshould ideally be 13% less, while the rate of uninsured has fallen to 9.1% in
            \n2015.<\/li>\n
          • Increase in enrollment:
            \nauto-renewals, renewals, and new enrollments in the Obamacare Health Exchange
            \nplans at the end of 2014. <\/li>\n
          • Enrollment- Federal and
            \nState Health Insurance Marketplace: With the open enrollment at end of 2015, around
            \n11.7 million Americans were enrolled in the Federal and State Health Insurance
            \nMarketplaces. Only Medicaid and CHIP had covered 10.8% and 5.7 million youths less
            \nthan 26 years were able to stay on their parents\u2019 health insurance coverage.
            \nMillions of others were covered under the expanded coverage provided by
            \nemployers under Obamacare and with private players who worked out of the
            \nmarketplace. <\/li>\n
          • Around $11.5 billion was
            \nsaved by 8.2 million senior citizens since 2010 in their prescription drugs.
            \nThat means about $1047 for each beneficiary. <\/li>\n
          • ACA has helped in saving
            \nmore than $19.2 billion that America incurred through fraud activities. This amount
            \nis around $10 million more than what was found five years back in 2010.<\/li>\n
          • $12 billion savings in
            \nhealth care costs (Bhattacharya, 2016).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            Affordable
            \nCare Act of 2010: To Reform or to Repeal<\/h3>\n

            Health
            \nCare Reform<\/em><\/h4>\n

            Before the ACA was
            \nsigned into law, there were growing numbers of uninsured people as well as personal
            \ndebt and bankruptcy\u00a0due to medical costs.\u00a0
            \nHealth care costs continue to increase that only result in the ever-growing
            \nprofit\u00a0for the health care corporations.\u00a0
            \n\u00a0There was a\u00a0growing national
            \ndebt and deficit reflecting a US health care system that has\u00a0been\u00a0out
            \nof control for many years that it was referred\u00a0to as unsustainable trends
            \nin healthcare or the health care crisis.\u00a0
            \nHowever, despite the notable impact of the ACA the real healthcare
            \nreform still needs to be in place and dramatically change the current broken model
            \nthat is unaffordable and is not consumer-centered.<\/p>\n

            Transforming
            \ntoward a serious healthcare reform must entail coverage on accountability,
            \ntransparency, cost and quality. Policy makers must set the essential
            \nfundamentals for a market-based and patient-centric system to ensure that all Americans
            \nget a fair treatment by health care providers.\u00a0
            \nReforms must be continuous to help make health insurance more affordable
            \nto lower and middle income Americans and small business employers. \u201cAlthough
            \nthe ACA\u00a0has reduced the number of uninsured\u00a0by about 3 percentage
            \npoints from 2013 to 2014, the primary source of new coverage is Medicaid, which
            \nprovides more restricted access to care than most private insurance. as the ACA
            \nis showing increasing signs of instability\u201d (Antos et al., 2015).\u00a0 A new health program for low-income Americans
            \nis currently needed and wherein it pays primary care physicians a minimum
            \namount a month to see each patient, whether they are healthy or sick, and that
            \nit would give Medicaid patients what they really need: first-class primary care
            \nphysicians to manage their chronic cardiovascular and metabolic conditions. Expansions
            \nof state and local clinic systems can be helpful considering the current health
            \ncare trends.<\/p>\n

            The
            \nQuest to Repeal the ACA<\/em><\/h4>\n

            America\u2019s Obamacare ensures that everyone has access to medical treatment, but the current dilemma it faces is abolishment.\u00a0 The following are noteworthy facts about ACA that are also being currently viewed by the present administration as contributors to the need for abolishing the act:\u00a0 <\/p>\n

              \n
            • Obamacare ensures that
              \nevery American legally acquires health insurance through legislation. There are
              \nalso government subsidies available to make the insurance more affordable for
              \nindividuals.<\/li>\n
            • Obamacare also makes it a
              \nlegal requirement for companies to provide healthcare if they have more than 50
              \nfull-time employees. <\/li>\n
            • A government website was
              \nmade available so everyone requiring health insurance was able to compare
              \nrates, sign up and learn about public subsidies.<\/li>\n
            • The Obamacare law monitors
              \nhealth insurance companies to ensure everyone\u2019s coverage as well as flag them
              \ndown if they deny anyone cover (Willis, 2017).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              President Donald Trump aims to repeal and replace the
              \nACA through Congress despite its increasing appeal with its rule on prohibiting
              \ninsurers from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions.\u00a0 Obamacare is at its highest popularity levels
              \ntoday despite facing the challenge of a replacement as proposed by Trump which
              \nconsists of \u201ca series of reforms that follow free market principles such as
              \nallowing the sale of health insurance across state lines and requiring price
              \ntransparency from doctors and hospitals\u201d (Willis, 2017).\u00a0 With the work to repeal and replace the ACA in
              \nplace, more Americans are expressing their views favoring Obamacare.\u00a0 A \u201creduction of 22% in the rate of uninsured
              \never since ACA has been introduced indicates that more families are assured that
              \neach member will be cared for because they have health coverage\u201d (Bhattacharya,
              \n2016). \u00a0Repealing the ACA is not an
              \noption now for most Americans as they see that repairing the law will bring
              \nbetter results.\u00a0 Supporters of repealing
              \nthe ACA have yet to come up with a meaningful and better alternative approach
              \nto healthcare reform.\u00a0 \u201cThe Republican
              \nleadership has backed a plan to repeal many parts of Obamacare while replacing
              \nothers, such as income-based subsidies to help Americans afford insurance.
              \nThose would be replaced by tax credits based on a person\u2019s age\u201d (Willis, 2017).\n<\/p>\n

              ACA
              \nis Progress<\/em><\/h4>\n

              The ACA has succeeded in significantly
              \nincreasing insurance coverage as it recorded the largest decline in the
              \nuninsured rate since the creation of Medicare and Medicaid. \u00a0\u00a0The ACA\u2019s major coverage provisions that have
              \ncontributed to significant positive transitions include:<\/p>\n

                \n
              • comprehensive reforms in
                \nthe health insurance market combined with financial assistance for low- and
                \nmoderate-income individuals to purchase coverage;<\/li>\n
              • generous federal support
                \nfor states that expand their Medicaid programs to cover more low-income adults;
                \nand<\/li>\n
              • and improvements in
                \nexisting insurance coverage (Obama, 2016).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                Thus, the aforementioned provisions have also
                \ncontributed to the following outcome:<\/p>\n

                  \n
                • States that decided to
                  \nexpand their Medicaid programs saw larger reductions in their uninsured.\u00a0 <\/li>\n
                • Greater insurance
                  \ncoverage appears to have been achieved without negative effects on the labor
                  \nmarket, despite widespread predictions that the law would be a \u201cjob killer.\u201d
                  \nPrivate-sector employment has increased in every month since the ACA became
                  \nlaw, and rigorous comparisons of Medicaid expansion and no expansion states
                  \nshow no negative effects on employment in expansion states.<\/li>\n
                • The law has also greatly
                  \nimproved health insurance coverage for people who already had it.\u00a0Coverage offered on the individual market or to small businesses
                  \nmust now include a core set of health care services, including maternity care
                  \nand treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, services that were
                  \nsometimes not covered at all previously (Obama, 2016).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                  Conclusion<\/h2>\n

                  The ACA has truly progressed to
                  \nbecome the most important health care legislation enforced in the United States
                  \nsince the conception of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965. \u00a0More Americans continue to be served by ACA\u2019s
                  \ncomprehensive reforms through improved accessibility, affordability, and
                  \nquality of health care. \u00a0However, such
                  \nprogress must not impede major opportunities for greater improvements on the
                  \nhealth care system. Americans want high\u00a0quality\u00a0health care from their
                  \nhealth care system and that is its capability to provide the greatest benefits.
                  \n\u00a0\u00a0Freedom of choice, affordability and
                  \nshared responsibility are features that are expected from a reformed healthcare
                  \nsystem that will give more advantage to more people. Efforts to reform the U.S.
                  \nhealth care system must consider the language of human rights, thus access to
                  \nquality health care must be perceived as a right, and not just an option or
                  \nprivilege.\u00a0 The ACA and health care
                  \nreform embody greater moral gravity in ensuring that everyone deserves access
                  \nto basic health care.\u00a0 Many still claim
                  \nof the ACA as defective, but the ACA proves that the government can be innovative
                  \nthrough its ability to respond to the ever-changing health care environment. <\/p>\n

                  References:<\/h2>\n

                  Antos, J., Capretta, J. and Wilensky, G. (2015). JAMA Forum: Replacing the Affordable <\/p>\n

                  Bhattacharya, A. (2016). Performance of Obamacare in the Last 5 Years. True Coverage Insurance Marketplace. Retrieved July 9, 2017 from https:\/\/truecoverage.com\/blog\/performance-of-obamacare-in-last-5-years\/ <\/p>\n

                  Care Act and Other Suggested\u00a0Reforms. Retrieved July
                  \n9, 2017 from \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 https:\/\/newsatjama.jama.com\/2015\/12\/21\/jama-forum-replacing-the-affordable-care-act-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 and-other-suggested-reforms\/<\/p>\n

                  Dalen, J. E.,\u00a0Waterbrook, K.,\u00a0and
                  \nAlpert J. S. (2015). Why do so many Americans oppose the \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Affordable Care Act? American Journal of
                  \nMedicine Vol.128 No.8, pp.:807-10. doi: \u00a0 10.1016\/j.amjmed.2015.01.032.\n<\/p>\n

                  Fatcheck (2015). Conflating costs of the ACA. Retrieved July 9, 2017 from http:\/\/www.factcheck.org\/2015\/02\/conflating-costs-of-the-aca\/<\/p>\n

                  Medicaid (2016). Affordable Care Act. Retrieved July 9, 2017 from https:\/\/www.medicaid.gov\/affordablecareact\/affordable-care-act.html<\/p>\n

                  Obama, B. (2016). United States Health Care ReformProgress to Date and Next Steps. The JAMA Network. Retrieved July 9, 2017 from http:\/\/jamanetwork.com\/journals\/jama\/fullarticle\/2533698<\/p>\n

                  ObamaCare Facts (2016). ObamaCare Health Summary. Retrieved July 9, 2017 from http:\/\/obamacarefacts.com\/obamahealthcare-summary\/<\/p>\n

                  Rosenbaum, S. (2011). The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Implications for Public Health Policy and Practice. Public Health Report Vol.126 No.1, pp.130\u2013135. https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3001814\/https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 pmc\/articles\/PMC3001814\/<\/p>\n

                  Turner, G. M. (2015). For Many Americans, Opposition To ObamaCare Has Become Personal. Forbes. Retrieved July 9, 2017 from http:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/gracemarieturner\/2015\/03\/23\/for-many-americans-opposition-to-obamacare-has-become-personal\/#367135b23226<\/p>\n

                  Willis, A. (2017). What is Obamacare and why does Trump want to repeal it? Metro News. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Retrieved July 9, 2017 from http:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2017\/05\/05\/what-is-obamacare-and-why-does-trump-want-to-repeal-it-6617385\/#ixzz4mLLqj8TP<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                  The Affordable Care Act \u2013 ACA A public policy that expressed shared responsibility successfully changed health insurance in the United States.\u00a0 A reform that covered the entire insurance market eliminated a major discriminatory practice of excluding pre-existing condition. \u00a0These statements confirm the effective implementation of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) or the Patient […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6636,8396,5785],"tags":[5676,5686,5780,5294,5674,5677,5678,6403,4639],"class_list":["post-45758","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-do-my-homework-social-policy","category-paper-writing-service","category-social-policy","tag-1500-words-assessment-task","tag-ace-homework-tutors","tag-assignment-homework-help-answers","tag-bishops-writing-bureau","tag-create-a-2-4-page-resource","tag-create-powerpoint-include-harvard-referencing","tag-i-need-completed-essay-in-300-400-words","tag-write-a-3-5pg-paper","tag-write-a-page-assignment"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colapapers.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45758","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colapapers.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colapapers.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colapapers.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colapapers.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45758"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.colapapers.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45758\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colapapers.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45758"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colapapers.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45758"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colapapers.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45758"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}