...Expansion of Medicaid Name School Abstract On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act (ACA) into law, allowing all Americans access to affordable health care. Despite the urgent need to provide health care to all Americans some Governors and elected Congressmen continue to debate over the necessity to expand Medicaid and the ACA. The Supreme Court on June 28, 2012 ruled in support of the ACA by upholding the individual mandate which require Americans to have health care insurance. Americans without health care insurance, because of this new health care policy will be able to either purchase insurance through the exchange market or through the expansion of Medicaid. Some states are against the expansion of Medicaid even though the government will fund 100% of the program for the first 3 years. The states that decide to opt out of the Medicaid expansion will heap some negative impact on several stakeholders. The ultimate goal of the ACA and the expansion of Medicaid was to provide quality health to the many uninsured. Expansion of Medicaid The implementation of an important component of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is the expansion of Medicaid. The expansion of Medicaid ensures health care coverage for children, poor people, disabled people and some elderly citizens. Unfortunately, 20 states have decided to opt out of this policy leaving access to health care unavailable to millions of needy people. It remains unclear why so many...
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...1. Point-Counterpoint State Medicaid Policy and Health Reform Harold A. Pollack University of Chicago Authors: Pollack, Harold A.1 Source: Journal of Health Politics, Policy & Law; Feb2013, Vol. 38 Issue 1, p161-163, 3p The article discusses the positive and negative implications of the new ruling that the federal government could not require states that receive federal funds under the Medicaid program to participate in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's (PPACA's) Medicaid expansion. Several shortcomings like limited provider payment and associated patient access barriers have been observed in Medicaid that make its adoption not a good idea. However, families below the poverty line can benefit. In July 2012, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). The Court thus ended one phase in the political and legal battle over health reform. Yet in doing so, it opened a new front. In a notable departure from post–New Deal commerce clause jurisprudence, the Court ruled that the federal government could not require states that receive federal funds under the Medicaid program to participate in the PPACA’s Medicaid expansion. In effect, the Court made states’ participation in the PPACA’s Medicaid expansion voluntary — a possibility that neither the act’s supporters nor its opponents seriously entertained during the long legislative battle of 2009 and 2010. The full implications of these...
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...Executive Summary Medicaid eligibility expansion under the implementation of PPACA is to include individuals and families with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level, including adults without disabilities and without dependent children. According to the supreme-court ruling, states have an option to opt out of Medicaid expansion. Washington State is one of those states that have decided to implement Medicaid expansion. Community health centers (CHC) play a vital role in providing care to uninsured and low-income people even if the patients regardless of their ability to pay. CHC are also known as Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). One such community health center in Spokane is CHAS. The purpose of this analysis is to assist...
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...Medicaid Expansion: Dichotomous Philosophy Threatens the Economy and Health of Millions Medicaid is a federally funded program that insures disabled, elderly and low-income Americans. While all 50 states have yet to opt-in to its expansion per the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which would add 21 million people to its rolls, or half of the nation’s uninsured, many states chose to opt in following the June 2012 U.S. Supreme Court decision which deemed the Patient Protection and Accountable Care Act (PPACA) constitutional (AAFP)(Mears) Despite the ruling of the Supreme Court, the decision to accept Medicaid remains a divisive and heavily debated issue in many states. Indeed partisan bickering, already strained budgets and questions of uncertain monetary futures all weigh heavily upon those relegated to make the final decision of acceptance or refusal. There is also a question as to whether refusal to accept is ultimately meritorious, as acceptance necessarily requires states to agree to some future percentage of the bill while refusal renders them ineligible for millions in federal funding every year. Thus, in a way, the ACA, perhaps much like many governmental policies, could well be considered a gamble either way. Accept it now and don’t miss out on federal funding or decline it, miss out on the funding but don’t put your state on the hook for unknown quantities of money that have to come from somewhere. The option of acceptance or refusal is indeed a very loaded choice;...
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...The Affordable Care Act and Medicaid Albany State University Healthcare in America is the most talked about topic today. This seems to be true since the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly known as “Obamacare”, is in place. This act was signed into law back in 2010. It took four years for the changes to take place and now citizens of America are required to have a health insurance plan in 2014. Open enrollment for “Obamacare”, insurance plans ends March 31, 2014. Those who do not have insurance by then, will be taxed 1% of their salary by the IRS or receive a tax penalty of 95 dollars. The Affordable Care Act has made many changes to health insurance coverage, such as Medicare and Medicaid, family insurance plans and more. If one cannot afford health insurance, Medicaid will be extended under certain conditions. Medicaid will be extended to individuals or families who earn up to 133% of federal poverty level. According to About.com, federal poverty level for an individual is $15,281. For a family of four, the federal poverty level is $31,321.50. Individuals or families who earn too much for Medicaid will receive tax credits only if their income level is below 400% of poverty level. According to About.com, for an individual to qualify for a tax credit, their income would have to be $45,960. For a family of four, 94,200. The credit is then applied monthly instead of a yearly tax rebate. There are also reduced copayments and deductibles for these individuals...
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...Where each state stands on Affordable Care Act's (ACA) Medicaid expansion Under the ACA, each state must opt in or out of the Medicaid expansion provision of the legislation. The states assigned to the class have all “opted in”; however, we do not know whether these states have also chosen to develop their own Health Insurance Exchange (HIX), or if they have defaulted this activity to the federal government. 1. Briefly summarize the ACA legislation According to the dpc, “The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will ensure that all Americans have access to quality, affordable health care and will create the transformation within the health care system necessary to contain costs. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has determined that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is fully paid for, will provide coverage to more than 94% of Americans while staying under the $900 billion limit that President Obama established, bending the health care cost curve, and reducing the deficit over the next ten years and beyond.” Some of the positives to the new health care bill will be people who make far more money than the average American will help pick up the slack through taxes. Individuals who are making 500,000 dollars a year or more will be the ones who help support the ACA. This will ensure that every American will have insurance and not have to worry about being able to pay for needed treatment. Some of the negatives to this is that businesses with over...
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...Simulation Review University of Phoenix HCS/405 Health care organizations, particularly hospitals face increasing problems managing cash flow due to changes in billing procedures and the economic climate. Research quoted in Fierce Healthcare Finance showed that hospitals are using investment cash flow, normally reserved for capital expenses, to pay for operating expenses. In a study quoted by Fierce Healthcare Finance (Ziegler, 2008) the depth of the problem becomes apparent “Between 2004 and 2007, the 170 hospitals studied by Best allocated a steadily greater portion of their invested assets to cash and short-term investments, climbing from 27 percent in 2005 to 31.1 percent in 2007.”With reduced funds available for capital expenses, it becomes difficult for hospitals to keep up with technology and to thrive. Elijah Heart Center is facing the financial dilemma common in specialized health care organizations, the combination of the need for improved technology, reduced income, and the demand for expansion. Without the needed technology and expansion, there little the hospital can do to improve income. The financial situation requires a combination of strategies to reduce costs and to make the wisest choices regarding acquiring needed technologies and expansion. Phase I: Capital Shortage The goal is to save $900,00 for the first year and to help improve the cash flow problem that Elijah Heart Center is experiencing. The hospital can select two cost cutting options...
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...According to the Department of Health and Human Services (2015), despite alarmists, there is sufficient evidence to support the benefits of federal financial assistance on for the economy. With this fact in mind, Group 7 will focus our research on three programs that are critical to the indigent population of Florida. They are as follows. Government services, including Medicaid, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and Accessing Community Care through Eastside Social Services (ACCESS). These programs enable eligible low-income individuals and their families to seek medical assistance reducing uncompensated care and hospital costs. The primary source of funding for uncompensated care is government dollars. The government collects taxes to fund various public services. American taxpayers have every right and should be concern about how the money is being spent. Controlling tax expenditures poses a major concern especially when considering reducing deficit as well as reducing taxes for Americans. The federal government is by far the largest funder of uncompensated care. In 2013, the federal government provided $32.8 billion (61.5 percent) to help providers cover costs associated with caring for the uninsured. State and localities are the second largest, providing another $19.8 billion; the private sector is estimated to contribute $0.7 billion (Caswell, Coughlin, Holahan, & McGrath, 2014). Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP, and Affordable Care Act marketplace subsidies...
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...Enrollment, 2013). I encourage you to expand the Medicaid program in South Dakota to, at the bare minimum, allow for coverage to our state’s young people who are pursuing higher education. In this report I will be reviewing the history of Social Service programs and the amendments made to them in the United States and South Dakota. The parties involved include the Federal government, the South Dakota Legislature and the citizens of South Dakota. The report will be a chronological history. Origins of Social Welfare for Medical Care The American Association of Labor Legislation (AALL) was formed in 1906 and their committee on social welfare drafted a bill in 1915 that outlined coverage to the working and low income classes. It included coverage for hospital and doctor care as well as maternity coverage and sick pay. The issue was highly debated for many years but eventually it was abandoned by the end of World War I (Palmer, 1999). Modern Community Health Program coverage has it’s beginnings in the Social Security Bill passed in 1935. That bill established the Medicare and Medicaid programs that are still in effect today. Medicaid was set up as a way to provide coverage for the disabled and some poor with the costs to be shared by the federal and state budgets. Each state has the...
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...Gary Burtless the Affordable Care Act was “sought to expand health insurance coverage, slow the growth of health care spending, and improve the quality of care”. The U.S News states that “Proponents of the healthcare law say that in the long-term, the Medicaid expansion will save both state and federal government’s money while extending healthcare coverage to millions of lower-income Americans. Opponents say it is just another example of government overreach and that it is up to the states to determine whether they can afford such an expansion.” But my question to you is do you actually believe this? Because I don’t. I have come across the best argumental FACTS to help you better understand the reason Rick Perry does not want to expand Medicaid. Researchers Laura Dague, Thomas DeLeire, and Lindsay Leininger argue in a National Bureau of Economic Research working paper that… “Noted in February that Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion would reduce incentives to work and have a modest effect on the overall supply of labor. While there is a debate in the academic literature about the effects of the Medicaid expansion on labor supply, that debate has tended to focus on parents who enroll in Medicaid, rather than adults without kids. Dague and her colleagues conclude that if the Medicaid expansion enrolls about 21 million additional adults, anywhere from 511,000 to 2.2 million fewer people will be employed. Furthermore, they argue that the Medicaid expansion will knock almost a full point...
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...HEALTH CARE [Author Name] In the article “Health Care Study Calls Risk Pool Money Lacking” Kevin Sack discusses some of the issues of healthcare finance. He says that the new law of health care does not properly allocate money for 5.6-7 million Americans with medical conditions that are pre-existing and have high risk insurance pools. The insurance plans carried out by the Government are a stopgap until 2014 after which the insurers cannot deny from providing total medical coverage to people. But according to a study by a nonpartisan research group, the Center for Studying Health System Change, $5 billion will only cover 200,000 people in a year. As a result, there would be a huge number of people having serious medical problems but the amount allocated for health care won’t cover them. Also, prompted officials of the 20 states would decline to establish their own financial pools which would put the burden of the task to Washington. In these states, the officials and the Republicans fear the intense pressure that they will have to face in case they are short of money. High risk pools will be established in some of the states by July1. The existing pools charge high rates which make them unaffordable to many; the new pools should have standard charges. Even then we won’t know how many uninsured won’t be able to afford those standard rates. Another analysis in this week concludes the states should be satisfied with new amendment and expansion of law. The...
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...Health Care Law and Regulations University of Phoenix Louise Underhahl HCS 545 Health Care Law and Ethics 2012 Health Care Law and Regulations One of the areas that are currently affecting the Health Care industry is Regulatory agencies. There is much dissatisfaction over the current state of healthcare in the U.S. Within all of our organizations, regulatory agency surveys are conducted to better the organizations as well as its employees. The purpose of the regulatory surveys is to focus on the areas that need improvement as well as promoting better health care access to the people in the community. Regulatory agencies serve as authority as well as enforcement to regulate laws from the government. Some examples of regulatory agencies are Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA). There are many examples of laws and regulations that are currently being faced in health care. Analysis of health care laws and regulations help one understand their influences on the provider. There are many ways that laws and regulations affect our lives and community. The FDA is responsible for the oversight of drugs, medical devices, vaccines, blood products and biologics, establishing rules for testing, clinical trials and approval of new products. The AHRQ is a federal agency under Health & Human Services working to improve the quality, effectiveness and safety of health care...
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...Texas’ Decision Should Texas have Medicaid or not? Texas has decided to refuse expansion of the Medicaid program under the Federal Affordable Texas Law. Now, the huge question remains, “Has Texas made the right decisions or did Texas move to fasting the decision making? “Medicaid helps the lower class families with the cost of Medicaid bills, but Medicaid is fun by states where coverage may vary. In an article “Texas”, Texas had 83.7% of people who participated in Medicaid in the year of 2015. There is Texas who support having Medicaid and people who is against Medicaid. I believe Texas should have expanded Medicaid because not everyone is fortune to pay out of pocket for medical emergency. Texas should have expanded Medicaid throughout the...
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...National Health Reform - Decreased Cost in Medicare and Medicaid: How Does it Impacts Nursing Home Care in New York State by Vina Aileen Bonner HCA 621 Utica College Fixing medical care and health insurance in the United States has been a public policy concern for about a century. Presidents such as Theodore Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton focused on the National Health Reform, but only President Barack Obama achieved the health care reform. Health care costs are increasing while the access to health care is declining. The occupationally based health insurance system is greatly stressed. Medicare and Medicaid are consuming more of the federal budget. According to the White House’s budget for U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), President Obama’s proposal would save nearly $360 billion in Medicare and Medicaid over the next 10 years: $56 billion would come through Medicaid reforms. Medicare is a federal health insurance program providing health care benefits to all Americans age 65 and over. Medicare is a significant part of the reason the national debt is soaring out of control. It is an open-ended program for provided for millions of senior citizens and people with disabilities. Medicare is growing faster than Social Security and more expensive in the next 25 years. Nationally, health care experts believe that as much as third of all health care spending – about $800 billion in...
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...Assignment 1- The Primary Care Clinic Corliss John Dr. Gilton Grange HSA 300 January 29, 2012 1. Discuss the key political, economic, and social forces that may have influenced the development of the clinic. I feel that economic and social conditions that affect people’s lives determine their health. The reason why is because people who are poor are less likely to get medical care, as opposed to people that are middle- class status and above. When it comes to citizens that have more social status, money and education have a lot more choices and control over things like occupational opportunities, salaries and the neighborhoods. The politics have an effect on clinics because when the law is put in place, federal funds will follow. It will make healthcare more accessible and available to millions of people in the United States. The growth of clinics has become very important since the passage of the Patient Protect and Affordable Care Act and the Healthcare and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. The social elements and factors of health are the most important determinants of whether individuals stay healthy or ill. 2. What would be a good mission statement? A good mission statement in my opinion would be to continue to improve the quality and characteristic of health care services provided to the communities that we assist by establishing an environment that supports and encourages physician participation, acknowledges the value and contributions of our employees...
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