...HEALTHCARE: PROBLEMS IN THE UNITED STATES Healthcare: A Problem Facing Many Individuals in the United States English 215, SEC 035BVA016, Strayer University Abstract The availability and cost of healthcare for the majority of people living in the United States was researched to try and understand as to why so many are left without any affordable options once they have lost their jobs or have reached retirement age. The goal of this paper was to thoroughly examine healthcare reform and the possible options that may become available to the people in the United States while focusing on the problems many will face once the law takes effect and they are unable to make such purchases with their current income only being forced to pay fines. Healthcare reform should provide assistance to those who are unable to purchase insurance on their own and further assist those who currently have insurance. The fear among the people it that it will only further cause low-income families to be faced with a larger problem of having to cover fines because of their lack of funding to make such purchases. Only time will tell which way this reform will lean towards with the inception date of 2014 when all will be required to carry medical insurance or be faced with unwelcomed penalties. Healthcare: A Problem Facing Many Individuals in the United States Healthcare, the cost and availability for the average individual living in the United...
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...our country right now is Obamacare. The goals for the way our healthcare system will be laid out are either loved by people or they absolutely hate it. There have been questionable issues about violating parts of our amendments and how or why people who can't afford healthcare actually deserve it. The biggest issue with the Obamacare Plan is whether it is or isn't Constitutional and what that means for the people of the United States. The Patient Protection and the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare is a United States federal statute signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. Together with the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act, it represents the most significant regulatory overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system since the passage of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965 (Wikipedia 2012). The main focus of Obamacare is to leave no person without health coverage. The majority of US Citizens struggle or can simply not afford health care thus not having proper treatment for illness for themselves or their children. The Obamacare policy is a reform of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that was passed by Senate in December, 2009. Shortly after in 2010, the house abandoned this reform bill and amended it into the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. Obamacare has many pros and cons and is so controversial that it makes headlines constantly. The pros to Obamacare I could go on about but I will hit a few. The major...
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...From my initial research I found that Health Care costs are steadily rising both in the private and public sectors. From what I have read I believe some sort of Health Care reform is required. There are vast numbers of people suffering and even dying because the cost of Health Care is too expensive. Unfortunately people skip doctor appointments and ignore ailments, just because they cannot afford it and it some cases people are paying the ultimate price. I’d like to look a little deeper into the Pros and Cons of Private and Public Healthcare and delve a little into some of the Health Care reform Bills that are in play or will be implemented in the near future. Specifically I want to look at Obamacare, as I hear it in the news, but do not know what impacts it has to the economy, good or bad. List of Figures Figure 1 6 Figure 2 6 Figure 3 7 Figure 4 7 Health Care Reform In recent years, a fair amount of attention has been geared towards Health Care. There has been a number of Economists that have voiced concern that rising health care spending could hurt the economy and lower employment. A December 2004 survey of CEOs found that employee health care costs are the greatest cost concern of America’s business leaders. (via aspe.hhs.gov). Due to the ever rising cost of healthcare, I found that approximately 53 Million people did not visit a doctor, 50 Million did not even fill a prescription and 49 million skipped recommended care altogether. Because...
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...RUNNING HEAD: Week 6 Assignment #2 Week 6 Assignment #2 Strayer University Online November 13, 2014 Reforms for slowing the growth in health care spending and increasing the value of care have largely focused on insurance-based solutions. Consumer-driven health care represents the most recent example of this approach. However, much of the growth in health care spending over the past twenty years is linked to modifiable population risk factors such as obesity and stress. Rising disease prevalence and new medical treatments account for nearly two-thirds of the rise in spending. To be effective, reforms should focus on health promotion, public health interventions, and the cost-effective use of medical care. Disease prevention/health promotion approaches are key to slowing the rise in health care spending (Thorpe, Kenneth 2014). Over the past five years the cost of health insurance has risen 54 percent. This persistent rise has recently been attributed to the low out-of-pocket costs paid by consumers. Being oblivious to not knowing the full costs associated with health care, consumers demand more and “overuse” it (moral hazard). The growth in spending has also been linked to the rising use of prescription drugs and new medical innovations and treatments. Many others believe the rise can be traced to the lack of competition in the health care marketplace and have proposed new approaches for health plans to compete on price and outcomes. Economists thinking about...
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...QUALITY HEALTHCARE 2 Introduction My approach in this analysis is one of a personal matter. I feel very adamant about our country’s healthcare provisions and the lack thereof. Insurance companies are making it virtually impossible for the poor and/or middle class to afford to receive quality healthcare. In that, the politicians and the wealthy are the only citizens that can afford to take care of themselves, or their loves ones when it comes down to “the BEST care that money can buy” concept. Topic Money Talks: To Be Uninsured or Underinsured… That is the question. The price of a procedure dictates the quality of care, (lower, price less quality). Should the markets for the uninsured or the underinsured dictate quality healthcare? Especially, when faced with a catastrophic illness or event and cannot afford to have better healthcare. What sparked this topic was when a discussion that came up in class pertaining to the Professor’s father who life to me was not held as valuable when the hospital doctors made the determination that the cost of keeping him alive was no longer in the hospital’s best interest. Likewise, my mother went through a situation where she fell very ill and was taken to a major medical center for emergency to determine the cause of her serve abdominal pain. A diagnosis was rendered and she was stabilized and released. The medical...
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...B Bailey Health Reform Plan The Clinton Healthcare Plan of 1993 also known as the Health Security Act was a package presented under the direction of President Bill Clinton. His presidency started on January 20, 1993 and lasted until January 20, 2001. During his 1992 presidential election, Clinton pushed for this bill to be passed by Congress. “After nine months of brainstorming and politicking, President Clinton delivered to Congress today a 240,000-word proposal for universal health insurance” (Pear, 1993). This manifesto was the most multiplex, comprehensive plan conveyed by any President. Under the Clinton plan, most Americans would get health insurance coverage only in regional alliances. “ A company with more than 5,000 full-time employees could operate its own health insurance program outside the alliances. People working at company headquarters would be in the corporate health plan” (Pear, 1993). If there were employees of a large company that worked in another state with 100 or less than they were able to join the local alliance there. The Clinton Healthcare Plan of 1993 would supply additional treatment of helping. “Mr. Clinton said his proposal would provide much more coverage of preventive services than is usually found in private health insurance plans” (Pear, 1993). The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) of 2010 also known as Obamacare is a United States federal law signed in by President Obama on March 23, 2010. This law, jointly with the...
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...but really don’t have the overall say. When it comes to the policies that get put into place not everyone is going to be happy with it. Sure, some policies will benefit some people more than others and some can just plain benefit the ones who run the country. Obamacare has some history behind the issues, benefits, and policies that will be placed on Americans to abide by. Here are some of the pros and cons of such a policy and how they weigh in weather or not if it is good or bad depending on how it affects you and your family. The Pros of Obamacare What greatly increases these conflict and debates are rooted in the constitutional framework of federalism, which is derived from the 10th Amendment. Federal health care policy “Obamacare” is one of these conflicting issues that have a significant federalism component that requires national, state, and local interaction. This has also leaded to a great deal of potential tension among different levels of government. Obamacare is an overall Medicaid expansion that is supposed to be one of the biggest milestones within healthcare reform by insuring up to 21 million Americans over the next decade. This expansion to Medicaid is supposed to provide the nation’s poorest with health coverage. “The law previously required states to cover their poorest or lose federal funding to Medicaid (federal funding covers 90-100% of the costs) until the Supreme Court ruling on Obamacare” (Obamacare, 2014). The history behind this ended...
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...Analysis of Obamacare Health Policy Anthony E Davis POL201: American National Government Ginger Devine November 25, 2013 Analysis of Obamacare Health Policy One of the most crucial issues of today is the issue of health insurance and availability of quality health services to all residents of the U.S. This paper will analyze the Obamacare Healthcare Policy-highlighting its core elements, health care problem solution, and the policies history. Also it will evaluate the pros and cons using different perspectives in debate. Let’s begin with the elements of Obamacare. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), also called Obamacare or the Affordable Care Act, is a United States federal statute signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010 (ObamaCare Summary: A Summary of Obama's Health Care Reform, 2013). Since the establishment of Medicaid and Medicare of 1965, Obamacare is one of the most significant expansions from the government and administrative overhaul of the U.S healthcare system. The purpose of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is to raise the rate of health coverage of Americans, to modernize the delivery of health care services, and to reduce the overall costs of health care. This is to be done by restricting certain insurance company practices and providing tax credits and subsidies for individuals and businesses. Prior to the approval of the Obamacare Policy, the American health care industry was in deep...
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...Budget Office (CBO) released an updated federal budget outlook for the next 10 year “budget window”, during the week of February 3rd, 2015. Detailed in this report were some revisions to the previous baseline projection for the effects of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). A more defined explanation and history of ACA: Federal health reform uses an approach that starts with the health insurance system we currently have in place in the United States. Health reform builds upon our current health insurance system to provide more people with access to health insurance coverage, establish legal protections for consumers, and set up mechanisms for consumers to shop knowledgeably for insurance. On July 14, 2009, House Democratic leaders introduced a 1,000-page plan for overhauling the US health care system, which Obama wanted Congress to approve by the end of the year. After much public debate during the Congressional summer recess of 2009, Obama delivered a speech to a joint session of Congress where he addressed concerns over his administration's proposals. In March 2010, Obama gave several speeches across the country to argue for the passage of health care reform. After Obama announced an executive order reinforcing the current law against spending federal funds for elective abortion services, the House passed the version of the bill previously passed on December 24, 2009, by a 60-vote supermajority in the Senate. The bill, which includes over 200 Republican amendments, was passed without...
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...depicting the slogan, “So Far, He Sucks.” Of course this garb relates to our current Commander in Chief, Barrack Obama. This is a debatable topic as it has always been for current presidents. However, this paper is directed towards his healthcare policy only. Obama’s health care bill has been a hot topic during his reign as President of the United States and has been met with much praise, as well as much contempt. While I deem myself a neutral party in presidential election and political action, I find myself at a crossroads still when dealing with the healthcare plan. It’s devised to aid Americans in the ever growing need for insurable care and sustained peace of mind that they may or may not be able to visit a physician, and not go bankrupt because of it. The following will educate readers of the new healthcare law enacted recently and provide both pros and cons for Americans, physicians, and insurers alike. The Affordable Healthcare Act was passed by congress and signed into law in March of 2010. The law plans to provide better health security by implementing health insurance reformation. This means insurance companies will be held more accountable in dealing with physician visits, healthcare costs will be lowered, and quality of healthcare will be obtainable by a larger spectrum of Americans (www.whitehouse.gov/healthreform). The main goal of the law is to provide insurance for every American. Those with employer supplied health insurance would keep their existing benefits...
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...the highest GDP among developed nations yet it fails to deliver a widespread and affordable health care to its citizens. Will health care reform be able to deliver quality services at affordable cost with its existing workforce crisis in the healthcare system? Number of uninsured Americans has significantly increased, mainly due to aging population and income change. The prevalent issue of America’s healthcare system is insurance coverage, access to healthcare. Americans believe this issue should be prioritized, and it is the direct responsibility of federal government to ensure medical care for those citizens that lack insurance. This essay include history of United States healthcare system, its evolution and how healthcare providers can contain costs of healthcare and provide quality and access to healthcare for everyone. From the beginning of 2014 Affordable Care Act by Obama government is trying to solve the enduring issue of American healthcare system. It is a step in the right direction but this reform is facing lots of resistance from Republican Party, that this reform will put country in debt stress. Many Americans are concerned with quality and access to healthcare with the influx in number of insured entering the healthcare system which is already facing the workforce crisis. United States Health care History Healthcare in United States is enduring issue and it is very sensitive subjects for Americans. United states from the beginning choose a market approach...
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...universal healthcare program called the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Obamacare was signed into law on March, 2010. It has been the most significant repair to the United States healthcare since Medicare and Medicaid passed in 1965. In this paper, the key points that will be discussed are obamacare policy, it pros and cons, if it raises any issues with federalism and the policys effectiveness. Obamacare is aimed at helping the underinsured to gain insurance. With this plan everyone would have health insurance regardless of income, or anything that would stop the person from attaining health insurance. The Affordable Care Act is a watershed in U.S. public health policy. Through a series of extensions of, and revisions to, the multiple laws that together comprise the federal legal framework for the U.S. health-care system, the Act established the basic legal protections that until now have been absent: a near-universal guarantee of access to affordable health insurance coverage, from birth through retirement.(Rosenbaum, 2010) Obamacare is a name used by critics of President Obamas efforts to reform health care. Its a common term used to describe the Patient Protection and Affordable care Act of 2010. ObamaCare contains many benefits, especially for low and middle income families and businesses. ObamaCare also contains some obstacles for larger firm that dont insure their employees and certain aspects of the healthcare industry...
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...Sonal Payne Group 1 Week 4 Discussion #4 Outline potential benefits (2 minimum) and potential negative impacts (2 minimum) of the affordable care act (ACA). The healthcare system in United States is mostly dominated by the private insurance sector, whereas many countries have a universal healthcare system, the United States does not (Finkleman & Kenner, 2013). Because of the influence of the private insurance sector healthcare is very expensive and in most cases not affordable in Unites States. According to HHS.gov, “The Affordable Care Act puts consumers back in charge of their health care and under the law, a new “Patient’s Bill of Rights” gives the American people the stability and flexibility they need to make informed choices about their health (2014). Like every new law ACA also has its pros and cons. The benefits of having ACA is that it includes reforms designed to help all Americans, such as prohibiting insurers from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions, expanding Medicaid eligibility, subsidizing insurance premiums, and providing incentives for businesses to provide health care benefits (Sorrell, 2012). Insurance companies will no longer be able to drop clients when they become ill, the act has the potential to improve health outcomes across all income and age groups at a reduced cost (2012). Some of the disadvantages of ACA are that Americans who are employed will have to pay more for their health care coverage. Most middle-class Americans hold full-time...
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...The Need for Health Care Reform HCA 410 Professor Henry O’Lawrence December 8, 2011 The Need For Health Care Reform Health care system is now faced with many problems such as high cost of insurance, high cost of medical services, significant numbers of people lack any form of healthcare insurance, and many more people are underinsured. Heath care is not affordable and easy to obtain anymore. With the rising of health care cost, reforms are needed to be more affordable with high quality and efficiency. There are over “46 million people lacking health insurance, but also for those who have insurance the economic downturn is a chilling reminder that under current system, virtually anyone facing a run of bad luck could be quickly wiped out by medical bill collectors”. State Healy, Bernadine M.D. (2009). Providing health insurance for people uninsured and low-cost insurance are major problems need to consider and take it seriously. The number of people uninsured is too high. There are many factors leading to be uninsured including poverty, the economic downturn leading to high rated of unemployment and some working families who cannot afford coverage because too expensive, besides, earn too much to be eligible for many programs which the state's healthcare provider. Offering the healthcare options with advantages for the uninsured with affordable price is needed to take to consideration. Many low income people cannot afford health insurance usually don’t go seek for medical...
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...opposition and became one of the most disputed topics around the nation it went under fire questioning the Constitutionality, the quality of care under the bill, and the retention of pre- existing health care converge. Implementing a new system of healthcare means rising government spending which will inevitably cause taxes to soar on the already struggling middle class as well as the upper class. This policy raises issues of “federalism” because some find the fact that mandated health care can be considered unconstitutional. Some view the fact of the government telling the citizens they have to have healthcare goes against the constitution. In this act the government would require us, as US citizens, to buy healthcare from private companies and keep it for the rest of our lives or we would be mandated to pay annual penalties. Some see this as unconstitutional because it is forcing Americans to “buy” insurance so their health needs can be covered. While Mr. Obama’s healthcare plan focuses on the future, it fails to help struggling American citizens presently. The healthcare reform act will increase taxes, lower salaries of doctors and other medical professions, and will cost more in government expenditures on healthcare, not save. Obamacare is aimed at helping the underinsured to gain insurance. With this plan everyone would have health insurance regardless of income, or anything that would stop the person from...
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