Of the Implications of the Patent Protection Affordable Care Act, Essay Example

The healthcare discussion post is regarding the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act (PPACA), also known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and its play in the healthcare industry. The description of the healthcare system is that unfortunately it is a ‘rare commodity’ for many members of the community, despite being an integral part of our lives and certainly should be expected to be a basic right. The ACA itself has caused concerns about demand and supply for healthcare services, primarily due to affordability. This means that ‘rationing’ is anticipated to allow flexibility in cost without compromising the quality of the service. The post cites a 2014 article on ‘rationing,’ explaining that it takes various forms through government control, insurance companies, and pharmaceutical companies. These three entities are forced to limit resources when demand increases due to a shortage of available supply. The post notes that rationing should not be the first priority, citing the Hackler article from 2014 which suggests the alternative of removing unnecessary services and reducing waste and inefficiency. Another option is discussed as monitoring financial accounts to ensure companies are not compromising the budget. However, the reality of rationing when a resource is scarce is accepted as inevitable.

The post further questions the ethical and moral standing of rationing healthcare provision, given it is a basic human right and should be a universal system. It questions the value we hold in human lives, where we claim that value cannot be placed on life, yet the expense of the current system means that some cannot afford it. Rationing may be justified in this sense, as funds are distributed to urgent needs and all people will be treated equally. This is equitable if the limits imposed are blanket provisions applying to everyone equally, and also it there are no viable alternatives. However, the post concludes by stating that the rationing process cannot be justified, and the decision of how to use healthcare resources effectively should be left to those working in the hospitals and clinics.

References

Hackler, C. (2014). Is Rationing of Health Care Ethically Defensible? In In E. E. Morrison, & B. Furlong, Health Care Ethics Critical Issues For The 21st Century. Burlington: Jones & Barlett Learning. pp. 317- 325.

NCBI.(2014).  Rationing health care: what it is, what it is not, and why we cannot avoid it. PubMed. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11066267

Singer, P. (2009). Why Must We Ration Healthcare. Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/19/magazine/19healthcaret.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0