The Affordable Care Act, Essay Example

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, given the nick-name “Obamacare”, was passed by congress and later signed into law by president Obama on March 23, 2010. Though there was controversy over this law, the Supreme Court delivered a key verdict to uphold it on June 28, 2012. The act comprises ten sub-sections that define its operation.

Title one gives an outline of quality, affordable health care for all Americans as stipulated by the law. The first title drives at eliminating lifetime and unreasonable annual limits on benefits; it typically does away with annual and lifetime dollar limits. Title two covers the role of public programs in the heath sector. It extends the Medicaid, preserving successful children’s plan and simplifying enrolment. It also improves care for Americans with special needs by granting them long care needs.

In an attempt to improve the quality and efficiency of health care, title three of the affordable care act pushes for the provision of additional health care services to remote American communities. Taxpayers’ money is preserved by maintaining their health in advance. The fourth title of the affordable care act highlights prevention measures for chronic diseases while providing mechanisms for improving public health. It invests in nutritional information and adds preventive measures for women due to their vulnerability. This is based on the notion that there is no logic in constant treatment when prevention is applicable.

The health care workforce is included in title five of the affordable health care act. This aims at providing scholarships for young nationals pursuing health related courses. Title six tackles transparency and integrity in the health sector, making sure that all Americans are informed on health care issues. Doctor-patient relationships are properly outlined besides the termination of all routes of wastage and fraud. In a bid to improve access to innovative medical therapies, part seven of the act is included. This is made practical by extending drug discounts, prompting price competition and innovation in biologics.

The affordable healthcare act also aims at establishing voluntary, self-funding insurance services for American families. This is covered in detail in the eighth title. Insurance services are expected to be long term to improve their efficiency. The ninth title invests in revenue provision. Since health must be funded, taxpayers’ money must be protected by closing tax loopholes. The last part of the affordable care act deals with reauthorization and the Indian health care act. This provides health care services to American Indians and Alaskan natives who constitute a vast population of about 1.9 million.

The affordable care act of 2010 is definitely set to produce long-term ramifications for the inhabitants of the United States. Its operation is centered on providing quality and affordable health services at a cost that favors everybody, including the middle class. In accomplishing this, it’s prone to have both advantages and disadvantages. This act increases health care coverage to most Americans who had not enjoyed its privileges up to the time of its ascension. In fact, the scheme is expected to cover more than thirty-two million Americans by the end of 2014. The three main groups that will be directly affected include patients with pre-existing conditions, those who cannot afford health care, and youth aged between 19 and 25.

The act also reduces the cost of accessing health services by guaranteeing 95 percent of citizen health insurance. This will make preventive health care more affordable for most citizens than before. Health related emergencies issues will also be handled with speed and precision. The congressional budget office estimates a reduction in the budget deficit by $143 billion by the year 2019. This will be a relief to taxpayers since savings would be made to cover other areas of development. The affordable care act is also expected to increase taxes and lower deductions at the same time. This is because Americans are obliged to pay some money to cover the costs of their health insurance.

However, the affordable care act has some bottlenecks to the extreme end just as any other law. Research has revealed that there is an expected reduction of health professionals as a result of the aging American population. In addition, the cost of drugs is also expected to skyrocket due to the extra pay imposed on pharmaceutical companies in an attempt to close the “donut hole” in Medicare

In conclusion, despite the affordable health care act experiencing challenges such as the rise of drug costs, its rating is still expected to be great. The operation recipe for this act is such a superior one that it makes it stand a higher chance of delivering Americans from all their health snags. Every development attracts criticism and the affordable care act has attracted its fair share. However, this criticism will create a platform for the revision of the act to make it more purposeful.