...ROMNEYCARE An In-‐Depth Analysis of the Massachusetts Healthcare Reform The American Healthcare System Final Research Report By Sara Mahmood, DDS and Camille Debi 1.0 Introduction In 2006, the state of Massachusetts initiated a health care overhaul by passing a reform law with the central tenet of providing healthcare to all of its residents. Widely popular and objectively successful, the law has been dubbed “Romneycare,” named after then Governor Mitt Romney who signed the legislation into action. The law mandates that nearly every resident of Massachusetts obtain a minimum level of insurance coverage and provides free health insurance for residents earning less than 150% of the federal poverty level. It also mandates employers with more than 10 full-time employees to provide health insurance. Among its many outcomes, the law established an independent public authority with the official title of “the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority”. However, it is commonly referred to as “the Connector”. The Connector acts as an insurance broker, essentially, offering free, highly subsidized and full-price private insurance plans to residents. The website serves as a portal for Massachusetts residents that allows them to access many of the Connector’s resources, as well as the ability to register online for an insurance policy. Although it has been amended significantly since...
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...surprisingly, the majority (57% in 2012) of Boston’s students classified as Limited English Proficient, speak Spanish (Uriarte). Simply put, there is no way to ensure that schools are working to the best capacity for the district’s largest ethnic group without also ensuring that proper systems are in place to educate English Language Learners, who are disproportionately Latino. Unfortunately, this has not always been the easiest of tasks, and a ballot initiative of over a decade ago would come to undermine much of the needed progress in the Boston Public Schools. November 5, 2002 may seem like a distant memory for some, but on that day, the result of that year’s election would come to have a resounding impact on Massachusetts’ schools, tens of thousands of students and their families at the time, and countless thousands more in the eleven and a half years since. By over a two-thirds margin, the Commonwealth’s voters ousted the Bay State’s 31 year old Bilingual Education program, the first in the nation. This decision made it illegal for public school teachers to, for any considerable amount of time, speak...
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...Running Head: Strategic Planning in an Era of Health Care Reform Strategic Planning in an Era Of Health Care Reform ‘Volume to Value’ Abstract The White House and the current administration of President Obama made the passage of Health Care Reform a top priority and signed the bill into law March 23, 2010. There are two laws that make up the reform package; the first is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act. Critics both in support and opponents claim the bills do little to alter healthcare inflation or uneven delivery of care (Ferman, 2010). The goal of the bill is to change a volume based model in to a value based business model. A comment by Moody’s Investor services exclaimed that the reform will undoubtedly require healthcare leaders to focus even more on multi-year strategies to ensure long term financial stability (Kim, Majka, & Sussman, 2011). Leaders will have to establish a long range plan that includes financial projections and goals, long range capital expenditure requirements, debt capacity, capital position analysis, capital shortfall analysis and sensitivity and risk analysis (Kim, Majka, & Sussman, 2011). There will be substantial increases in the number of newly insured that will place a tremendous amount of stress and unknown consequences on an already burdened healthcare infrastructure (Tyson, 2010). The objective of this paper will attempt to examine the implications of reform on...
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...Home Schooling: A Real Alternative Kevin Sumrall Research and Writing: ENG 215 Professor Kristen Shelton May 15, 2011 The times in which we live are becoming more competitive than ever before. How well one is prepared to step up and meet that competition is what education is all about. The mainstream opinion would say that the only way to the top is through public or even better; private schools. As most of us are already painfully aware, we all cannot afford private schools for our kids, especially if we have more than one or two children. Homeschooling has been viewed by many as a substandard choice, where many others are coming to realize that it is much better than any other choice they may have. There are as many as 2 million children being home schooled right now with a projected growth of 15 to 20% annually. The very high test scores for homeschoolers versus the public school students is one of the main points on the platform for the benefits of homeschooling. There is an alternative to public and private schools, and its right at home. There was a time, not so very long ago, when parents could send their kids down to the bus stop and never think twice about whether or not they would be safe and cared for and taught correctly all of the same things that they learned when they went to school. The sad truth of the matter is that most parents don’t know half of what their kids are being taught in school today. Most of the time, teachers are allowed to show kids movies...
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...Religious based bias against gay marriage comes from beliefs and a person’s moral make up. Gay marriage has been legalized in places like Massachusetts for over eleven years. There has been little to no impact on gay marriage. Studies show that gay marriage is actually a benefit rather than a disadvantage to the general population. An analysis of those for or against gay marriage show that arguments that are solely based on religion can be disproved by actual studies that have been conducted rather than religious rhetoric. There are five basic arguments against gay marriage. They are: 1. It would weaken the definition and respect for the institution of marriage. 2. It would further weaken the traditional family values essential to our society. 3. It could provide a slippery slope in the legality of marriage (e.g. having multiple wives or marrying an animal could be next). 4. It confuses children about gender roles and expectations of society, and only a man & woman can pro-create. 5. The gay lifestyle is not something to be encouraged, as a lot of research shows it leads to a much lower life expectancy, psychological disorders, and other problems. A commentary on “The Divine Institution of Marriage” from the mormonnewroom.org states, “A wide range of social ills has contributed to this weakening of marriage and family. These include divorce, cohabitation, non-marital childbearing, pornography, the erosion of fidelity in marriage, abortion, the strains of...
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...Killings Analysis Style and Technique “Killings,” one of Dubus’s best-known and most respected stories, was the basis for the film In the Bedroom (2001). Although the story revolves around passion and violence, Dubus tells the tale in a flat, calm way. The first two acts of violence are dropped into the story unexpectedly and without emotion. The story opens with Frank’s funeral, then moves on to the conversation between Willis and Matt about how Matt wishes he could kill the man who murdered his son, but the reader does not know who killed Frank, how, or why. Next, in a long descriptive paragraph, Richard is introduced. He is first connected to Frank by the flat opening line of the next paragraph: “One night he beat Frank.” Only then does the reader learn about Mary Ann, and Matt’s and Ruth’s differing feelings about her. In a lovely, lyrical scene, Mary Ann joins the Fowlers for a barbeque after a day at the beach. Matt’s love for his son is mixed with a wistful attraction to Mary Ann. She is beautiful, but Matt sees in her eyes a sadness and pain that he and his family have been spared, and he wishes he could help and comfort her. The next paragraph starts with, “Richard Strout shot Frank in front of the children.” Such jarring shifts of mood are used to emphasize how quickly life can turn from sunny to violent and how swiftly the good things in life can be taken away. The story’s point of view is that of the limited omniscient narrator. The reader sees the events through...
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...much key evidence presented by the prosecution and could the actions of key courtroom figures have set free a guilty woman? The late nineteenth century would be a critical time in the evolution of substantive and procedural rights, including the right to remain silent for United States citizens. Today men and women enjoy equal rights in the eyes of the law but late in the nineteenth century things were much different, could the way men viewed women have set free a murderer? On a scorching 1892 August day in Fall River, Massachusetts, Andrew and Abby Borden were violently murdered in their home on Second Street. The Lizzie Borden trial held in 1893 attracted attention from nearly the entire United States with newspapers in New York City, Providence, and Boston publishing articles at a frenzied pace. The subsequent police investigation and trial of Lizzie Borden gained national attention and nearly every resident of Fall River had their own theory as to the identity of the murderer. A female murder defendant on trial was and is to this day an extremely rare proceeding but in 1893 a Christian woman coming from a wealthy family was tried for the exceptionally brutal murder of her parents. The trial was the most sensational murder trial of the nineteenth century...
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...Discrimination and health care privacy are two laws and regulations were established to protect the people. The federal government implemented these laws with the goal of removing barriers that are institutional. These laws affect many organizations, especially those involved in the health care industry. This paper will present the role of each laws and how the health care industry currently handled the laws. An analysis of the effect of these laws will be providing as well as cases. Including ways these laws have affected one’s life. According to Maze (2005)”Discrimination continues to exist and negatively have affected the health care system and the professionals.” Discrimination occurs when an individual is treat unequal because of his or her race, religion, sex, and ethnic background, or any factors that involves ones traits. Discrimination is seen through the American Health care system if it involves the presence of injustice based on whether someone were treated unequal or unfair due to their race, religion, sex, or ethnicity. In the United States today, there is still discrimination in the health care system based upon race and income, insurance or no insurance. Discrimination in the United States is part of a long continuum dating back over hundreds of years, even though efforts were made to admit minorities into the health care system these efforts are flawed and there has been no significant improvements in the removal of barriers due to discrimination. Minorities...
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...Company Analysis Elizabeth Godfrey Franklin University 2-4-2/MBA 723 H3WW April 24, 2012 Tuft's Health Plan is an industry leader in providing PPO and HMO health plans to citizens in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, providing business, individual, and Medicare policies on a variety of levels. From minimal state coverage to extensive long-term health care planning, Tuft's seeks to remain a leader in providing health care as a non-profit organization and meeting the needs of citizens in order to assure that health coverage is not a luxury item. Past Market Forces As with many industries, the health care industry is saturated with competitors in the provision of health insurance. Though Tuft's has made their reach concentrated through only providing within Massachusetts and Rhode Island, plans offer companies with multi-state locations to provide Tuft's care throughout all locations, in conjunction with CIGNA Health Care, with the home office being the customer hub. This foundation within New England gives Tuft's the ability to provide customer service on a more personal level than many competitors and also provides companies and individuals with a sense of pride and loyalty to a local provider and agents. Additionally, Tuft's has remained competitive through online access for patients and doctors to plan information, health care programs, and preventative care information. These innovations allow all involved with Tuft's to maintain not only access...
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...Parents who are convicted of child abuse should have their children taken away from them. This is not a matter of punishment but of recognition of the fact that there is a problem society has to address and that the children need to be protected. First, those parents have abrogated their parental responsibilities and shown that they cannot be trusted. Second, the children will benefit by being taken away from an abusive situation and placed into a loving situation. The alternative would be to work to preserve the family group. Attempts to do this are usually made by social workers, who might be brought in at an early stage, before adjudication becomes necessary. In such cases, the case worker develops a plan and implements it: This plan ultimately becomes the case plan that outlines treatment services for the child and the family. The plan describes what actions are required of all the parties involved to correct the conditions that caused the maltreatment and, in some cases, the placement outside the home, as well as the time frames for accomplishing them. In addition, the plan must address a child's health and education needs, including arrangements for any specialized treatment by health care providers. The causes of child abuse and neglect are complex, and a case plan can involve referrals to an array of individuals, including caseworkers from other units in the child welfare agency, such as adoption or foster care specialists; private service providers...
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...of America's uninsured are small business owners, employees or their dependents. There are around 44 million Americans who currently are unable to get health insurance. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA,) signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. Several rationales were offered in support of this legislation, including that it would lead to the creation of jobs and the reduction of the federal budget deficit. Everyone is affected by this health care in one way or another. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Consistent with respected economists‟ forecasts, the health care law contains a number of provisions that will eliminate jobs, reduce hours and wages, and limit future job creation. Specifically, the law: * Penalizes employers for failing to offer coverage deemed acceptable by the government; * Imposes burdensome mandates on small businesses, including new paperwork requirements; and * Compounds the uncertainty employers and entrepreneurs are facing amid a challenging economic climate. Independent analyses have determined that the health care law will cause significant job losses for the U.S. economy: the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office has determined that the law...
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...society and played their role but there were some who broke the norm. There have been serious consequences for females who have attempted to liberate themselves, especially when they attempt to do so sexually. Females have the ability to achieve their sexual liberation despite the patriarchal societies in which they live. Two females which have attempted to achieve sexual liberation are Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter and Blanche Dubois in A Streetcar named Desire. Both Hester Prynne and Blanche Dubois’s attempts to achieve sexual liberation were hindered by the patriarchal societies in which they lived in; making only one of them successful. The Scarlet Letter, written in 1850, takes place in the late 17th century in Massachusetts. At this time Massachusetts is a Puritan colony. A Puritan, according to Oxford Dictionaries, is a member of a group of English Protestants of the late 16th and 17th century who regarded the Reformation of the Church of England under Elizabeth as incomplete and sought to simplify and...
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...that conflicts between parties of different nationalities occur and liability to tax on income of foreigners especially among those engaging in trading venture. Whilst the laws affecting domicile and residence may be sufficiently settled, it is paramount for courts to pursue a detailed analysis to ascertain specific preliminary issues so as to avoid controversial rulings. Courts often handle numerous financial cases that involve what can be best described as foreign or international elements. In such cases, court must decide whether it has the jurisdiction under the Family Law Act 1975 to make a decision on such cases. In the event that it is determined that the court is invested with the jurisdiction to determine the case, the court has to consider whether there is a system of law in foreign country that also has the jurisdiction to handle the case. As it was addressed in the case Attorney General of New Zealand v Ortiz [1984] AC 1, these benefits and costs to either party if the case resolution is made in foreign country as compared with the apparent country should also be a subject of concern. [1] Legal systems in most countries around the world adopt community property regime, which takes effect at the inception of marriage or at the time of divorce. For instance, California and Massachusetts in the United States have adopted community property regimes that support equal division of assets upon divorce. However, this provision is not available in Australian regime...
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...Running head: FEDERAL DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT (DOMA) ANALYSIS Federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) Analysis Ashanti Craine Northwestern State University Analysis of Contemporary Social Policy Issues SOWK 4350 Professor Sepora Fisher, LCSW April 29, 2013 Abstract The Law plays a prominent role in the everyday life of same-sex couples, continuing regulations and constant policing of sexuality and gender form around every aspect of same-sex couple and their marriage. Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) a federal law designed to uphold the traditional meaning of marriage which is described as a union between one man and one woman by not recognizing same-sex marriage and taking the option away from the states to make their own decision. DOMA has become a leading problem not just for the same-sex couples who are denied the rights and privileges in which opposite-sex couples are afforded under the federal law, but DOMA has also been called into question for its constitutionality and whether it not only goes against equal protection for American citizens but also legally discriminates against a group strictly based off their gender and sexuality. Federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) Analysis Problems that Necessitate the Policy: Section 2 of DOMA says “no State, territory, or possession of the United States, or Indian tribe, shall be required to give effect to any public act, record, or judicial proceeding of any other State, territory, possession, or tribe respecting...
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...(Senate bill - H.R. 3590) Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (H.R. 4872) preceding legislation Social Security Amendments of 1965 Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (1986) Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (1996) Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (2003) Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act (2005) [show] More information -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This box: view· talk· edit See also: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Maximum Out-of-Pocket Premium as Percentage of Family Income (Source: CRS) In the United States, the debate regarding healthcare reform includes questions of a right to health care, access, fairness, sustainability, quality and amounts spent by government. The mixed public-private health care system in the United States is the most expensive in the world, with health care costing more per person than in any other nation, and a greater portion of gross domestic product (GDP) is spent on it than in any other United Nations member state except for East Timor (Timor-Leste).[1] A study of international health care spending levels in the year 2000, published in the health policy journal Health Affairs, found that while the U.S. spends more on health care than other countries in the Organisation...
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