Introduction of the Affordable Care Act, Term Paper Example

Affordable Care Act, the HR 3962 implies to a bill that was founded by the House of Representatives in the United States in 2009 November. The bill was later made in to paw as a result of encouragement by Obama administration. The act involves two different legislations that are P.L. 111-148 that represents Affordable Care Act and Patient Protection and P.L. 111-152 representing the 2010 Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act. Both legislations are responsible for expanding the Medicaid coverage for the benefit of the low income class of the American population (Andrews, 2012).

The purpose of the Affordable Care Act is extension of coverage in health insurance to numerous uninsured people in America who are estimated at 32 million through expansion of coverage at public as well as private health institutions. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the contribution of Affordable Care Act in ensuring that the American people can easily access the services of health care at affordable cost and with high quality thus transforming the system of health care with regard to containing the cost. The budget of the congress has a vital role to play in ascertain that the relevant expenses associated with health care are settled. About 94% of the populations in the US are covered by Affordable Care Act which was established by President Barack Obama. In addressing the purpose of the act, there are important provisions associated with Affordable Care Act. Employers are supposed to cater for insurance of employees and if they fail, they pay penalties. The small businesses are offered tax credits to cater for specific health insurance costs. All people except the special cases of religious beliefs and handicap are supposed to have the cover. Insurance exchanges based on individual states have been created for the benefit of small businesses that facilitate for limiting the coverage premium. The act also expands the Medicaid for the benefit of low income population (Tanner, 2013). Temporary pools to cater for high risk have also been created. Young adults are covered under the policies of their parents. The act also facilitates for the enactment of consumer protections to facilitate for the retention of insurance coverage.

Nine titles of the Affordable Care Act

Affordable Care Act has nine distinctive titles. Each of the title is responsible for addressing a crucial component in the reform. The titles are as follows:

• Quality and affordable health care to the entire American population: The health insurance essential transformation must be accomplished in US by means of shared responsibility.
• The role played by the public programs: The Affordable Care Act must magnify the eligibility in the Medicaid for the lower income population coupled with embracing the responsibility of the federal government to cater for the expansion of the costs (Benne, 2012).
• Enhancement of quality as well as efficiency in health care delivery: the act must also enhance the efficiency as well as the quality of services for all Americans more so the ones enrolled under Medicare as well as Medicaid.
• Preventing the chronic disease as well as public health improvement: there is need for enhancing the orientation of the system of health care in the nation through some initiatives that facilitate the needed infrastructure as well as impetus.
• Health care workforce: the act has to entice efforts in innovations, hiring and retaining a new workforce that will facilitate for a vibrancy, competency and diversity.
• Transparency along with program integrity: the integrity of the health programs that are funded by the federal government must be upheld through supplying the relevant information to the general public
• Enhancing accessibility of innovative medical therapies: These include biological product
• Community living assistance services as well as supports: initiation of long-term and self-funded program for health care insurance
• Revenue provisions: tax only applicable to the self-insured plans as well as the plans for group market

Application to Practice

On achieving quality and affordable health care to the entire American population, issues of discrimination are avoided while insurance premiums are not increased. All people are therefore able to access health care services. The public programs facilitate for support from the federal government that facilitates for the coverage of the children and simplification of enrolment in Medicaid leading to enhancement of services. Substantial investments have been made that facilitates enhancement of quality as well as efficiency in health care delivery as well as aiding research and offer information to consumers concerning the patient outcomes attributed to divergent methods of care delivery and treatment (Clemmitt, 2010). Most of the chronic diseases have been prevented and the public health improved leading to the development of healthy communities

Conclusion

Affordable Care Act has been influential in addressing the issues of the American workforce attributed to the provisions in the act. The Affordable Care Act gas also brought about reforms in medical trainings and augmented loans and scholarships in the health profession. The general public have also benefited through access to high quality and affordable health care services. The health care providers have also be advantaged since they can hardly discriminate any person in the course of service delivery. In a nutshell the Affordable Care Act has been a blessing to the American population in general.

References

Andrews, Philip S. (2012). “Health Care Reform and the Supreme Court (Affordable Care Act).” Affordable Care Act. The New York Times, 28 Mar. 2012.

Benne, R., (2012).”Why No Comprehensive National Health Care?.” Dialog: A Journal of Theology 2010:264+. Academic Search Premier. Web. 12 Apr.

Clemmitt, M. (2010). Health-care reform. CQ Researcher, 20, 505-528

Tanner, M., (2013). “The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: A Dissenting Opinion.” Journal of Family and Economic Issues 34.1 3-15