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Healthcare Policy

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Health Care Policy
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) signed by President Obama in 2010 will bring about changes to the health care system that affect every American. The PPACA ensures access to affordable health care with a focus on cost containment and enforcing quality of care for those who seek services. According to a Congressional Budget Office budget report the PPACA will cost tax payers an estimated $900 billion and provide coverage for more than 94% of the population who is eligible for services. The PPACA addresses several key areas quality, affordable health care, public programs, improvement to quality and efficiency, prevention, public health improvement, workforce, transparency and integrity, access to innovative therapies, community support services, and revenue provisions (Democratic Policy and Communication Center, n.d.). These areas will affect millions of individuals at some level when accessing health care. The accessibility to quality health care will benefit those individuals who presently cannot obtain health insurance or afford some type of health care coverage. Coverage alone does not make for a healthy nation and help to contain cost.
The PPACA addresses the need for prevention and improvement in health care and public health. Title IV: Prevention of Chronic Disease and Improving Public Health addresses some of these needs. Health care professionals can the nation understand how certain diseases can be prevented and promoting a healthier lifestyle less funding will be needed to provide ongoing treatment of chronic health care problems after they have developed. This is not to say that every diseases can be avoided or prevented, by providing access to prevention measures and improving public health barriers this can help to overcome and decreased costly health care services. The development of a new

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