...#1 Access to Health Care: Improving overall health status Equality in Access to health services is one of the forty two topic areas in Healthy People 2020 that caught my view as one of the objectives to have the highest importance in achieving a national goal of healthy Americans in the future. But what does access to health care actually means? According Gulliford et al (2002), facilitating access to health is concerned with helping people to command appropriate health care resources in order to preserve or improve their health status but unfortunately gaining access to healthcare depends on some factors such as financial, organizational and social or cultural barriers that permits or limit the said utilization of services. Therefore having much available health services is not a factor in itself to improve the quality of healthcare but the utilization of such services by all of the people which will depend on affordability and general accessibility of the service. According to Healthy People 2020 (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2012), it is important to have access to quality health care service in order to achieve equity in health and eventually improve the general health status of all Americans. This I think is one of the most important move that the state should make in order to make the vision of having healthy Americans, including all migrants, ethnic and minority groups, by the year 2020. Though free service is not always the key to have access to...
Words: 3132 - Pages: 13
...Health Care Access Paper | Professor Barri Mallin | | Sheila Ford | 12/16/2012 | | The purpose of this paper is to inform you of a proposal that the Governor of Texas has proposed to the state, on how he feel about the health care reform. I will be talking about how the governor thinks by” issuing top-down mandates on a break-neck timetable is a surefire way to make things worse”. The health care reform legislation currently being considered not only poses a serious threat to patients and providers, but will also cost Texas taxpayers tens of billions of dollars. I will be explaining how the governor feels that President Obama’s plan will cause harm to the health care system,” by increasing taxes and escalate medical price inflation and add more than $285 billion to the deficit over the next 10 years”. “Gov. Perry: Federal Health Care Proposals to Cost Texans Tens of Billions of Dollars Tuesday, August 18, 2009 • Austin, Texas • Press Release Share” “Gov. Rick Perry today emphasized the importance of state developed health care reform rather than the costly, expansive, one-size-fits-all mandates being considered by the federal government. The governor spoke at a press conference announcing the results of a study about federal health care proposals conducted by the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF)”. “It’s clear Washington has no interest in allowing states to develop their own tailored solutions to problems that affect their citizens,” “Gov. Perry...
Words: 1364 - Pages: 6
...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 governors and congressmen dislike the expansion of Medicaid and the ACA in its entirety. The impact of not implementing the expansion of Medicaid leaves many Americans uninsured as well as a tremendous burden on our economy. Communities have and will continue to struggle to address the health of its citizens without this expansion. Politics has played a major role in disqualifying the policy...
Words: 2326 - Pages: 10
...Beginning of the Donelle K. Blackwell Clinic Greetings, I am Khalil Blackwell, your specialist for today’s discussion the upcoming construction of The Donelle K. Blackwell Clinic. A free clinic is defined as a hospital or health program, usually located in a neighborhood setting, that provides health care for ambulatory patients at minimal to no cost. Establishments such as these clinics provide service to an increasingly large group of citizens without health insurance. The Texas Medical Association’s census of the 2014 uninsured population shows that 23% of all adults age 19-64 do not have insurance. That is 9% higher than the nationwide average. These citizens do not have access to basic medical needs such as vital check-ups, cleanings or access to a medical professional that can accurately diagnose any illnesses or ailments. A free clinic such as this one can provide any non-insured adult access to these necessities. The intake process of this facility will be simple. With such a large of amount of uninsured patients in this particular community, having a long, drawn-out administrative process can cause extreme difficulties when trying to get all patients quality medical care. We first ask the potential patient to complete a simple application, providing the clinic with necessary personal information needed to continue with the services (i.e. Name, Social Security, contact information, the reason for visit). The patients’ vitals are immediately recorded after filling out the...
Words: 1153 - Pages: 5
...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...
Words: 1176 - Pages: 5
...The attached article, while containing some normative economics, makes excellent use of the areas that we have been discussing. Dr. Clifton comments on the nature of supply and demand, opportunity costs and market imperfections. Feel free to discuss his use of economics, both where he is correct and where you think that he may have strayed from positive economics. Does he have a viable solution? As a patient, what are the opportunity costs? Healing Health Care Now is the time to make the necessary reforms. Guy Clifton | JUNE 8, 2009 A[pic]nne Casey lived in Houston, Tex., supporting herself by providing in-home care for the elderly and by making jewelry. My wife’s best friend, Phyllis, who was also a friend of Anne’s (not her real name) from high school, referred me to her. I came to enjoy sitting in her home studio on Saturday mornings, chatting and picking out materials from which she would create the most striking pieces of jewelry. In 2007 a black lump appeared on Anne Casey’s neck; she had the fair Irish skin that is prone to cancers. She could not afford health insurance, so she paid cash for a dermatologist to biopsy the lesion. The doctor was notably concerned after seeing malignant cancer cells under the microscope and told her that she needed surgery right away, though he could not do it, since he was not a surgeon. Anne had a malignant melanoma, a potentially fatal skin cancer that is normally removed as rapidly as possible to prevent its...
Words: 2192 - Pages: 9
...injury or, disease. Predictors used to determine a person’s vulnerability are race, age, education, and economic status. The population most vulnerable is the uninsured adult. The elderly and children is another group that is at a high risk of not having adequate health coverage as well. However, federally funded programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and, the Children’s Health Insurance Program insure the majority of the elderly and children. The age of the uninsured expands across the age spectrum. The ethnicity, age and gender of the average uninsured adult are the Hispanic male, 19 to 25 years of age. Minorities tend to make up the vast majority of the uninsured. Hispanics account for 32% of the uninsured in America. American Indians 30%, African Americans 22%, and Caucasians 14%, make up the remainder of the uninsured population (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2011). The average educational level is high school diploma or GED. The lack of higher education puts this group at risk for not being able to qualify for higher paying jobs that would give them the opportunity to afford health care coverage. The average income of the uninsured population is approximately $30,000 to $35,000 per year (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2011). In the uninsured population there are two additional groups. This group is the uninsured young adult who is not eligible for continued health coverage on their parents’ health plan and the older working adult who cannot afford health care premiums....
Words: 1779 - Pages: 8
...Heritage Assessment Dianna Freeman Grand Canyon University Family Centered Health Promotions NSG-429V December 20, 2014 Heritage Assessment “Health is influenced by culture and beliefs” (NRS-429V, 2011, p. 1). In order for the nurse to properly care for the patient, she must know and understand the patient’s culture. “Cultural care is a comprehensive model that includes the assessment of a client’s cultural needs, beliefs, and health care practices” (NRS-429V, 2011, p. 1). It is not enough to just know where the patient lives or where he came from. The nurse must embrace the concept of cultural competence and cultural awareness. This requires not only the awareness of the cultural beliefs and values of their patients, but also their own. A heritage assessment, whether formal or informal, can provide a wealth of information that helps the health care team to better understand the patient, his attitudes, his feelings, and beliefs. One of the challenges in nursing is to apply health education to individuals and families from diverse cultural backgrounds. “Cultural beliefs and values influence health decisions and must be taken into consideration.” (NRS-429V, 2011, p. 1). It is easier to care for the patient when we understand him better. The first family interviewed was a Black couple. They were not married, but had been living together for over 6 years. The woman’s daughter lived with the couple. The man had two daughters who were grown. The man was interviewed...
Words: 2804 - Pages: 12
...Elderly as a Vulnerable Population According To the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary (2002), vulnerability is the Ability to "Be Easily Physically, Emotionally, or mentally hurt, Influenced or attacked." “As one of the faster growing segments of the population, over 70 million American citizens will be considered elderly by 2030 (Centers for the Disease Control and Prevention , 2007).” The United States Census Bureau states that, the Population greater Than 65 years old is growing at a rapid pace and by the year 2050 will duplicate and will increase from 12 to 20 percent of the population. This same percentage will be considered vulnerable population. Currently 40 million of people in the United States are 65 years or older, according to the Census Bureau these numbers will be expected to double by 2050, longevity will increased and this will bring a new number of common diseases which, will make this group more vulnerable. At Any Given Time, anyone can become vulnerable, the composition of the population has changed demographically and the elderly population has increased in recent years because of the development of the science and technology, but with this increment of the elderly population the vulnerability increases as well, due to some factors that this vulnerable population is exposed to, such as increase of the needs, physical and mental limitations, and lack of financial resources. Chronic illnesses increase vulnerability in elderly patients because...
Words: 1527 - Pages: 7
...selected in microeconomic terms. The health care issue I have chosen is the uninsured Americans and the cost effect on the Unites States government. The issue of uninsured Americans has been one issue that keeps coming up from time to time because a large number of the society are losing their medical insurance due to loss of employments and pre-existing conditions that most insurance company don’t accept. Government and the hospital emergency rooms where those that are uninsured end up going are at the losing end on whole situation. I will try and use Cost Benefit Analysis to evaluate the cost of the uninsured on the Government purse. Cost benefit analysis is an important economical tool that can be used in the healthcare industry because it helps in determining what the outcome of a project would be. It looks at both the positive and the negative aspect of the program. It will also show the cost and consequence of being uninsured. According to Jack Hadley, the Principal Research Associate at The Urban Institute, uninsured Americans have cost the Federal government in the three following ways: The Government already spends a substantial amount of money on care to the uninsured According to (Jack Hadley, 2003) it is estimated that in 2001 that the nation spent about $35 billion on uncompensated care received by uninsured, both those who are uninsured for a full year and those who lack coverage for part of a year. It shows that about two-third...
Words: 2133 - Pages: 9
...Williams October 26, 2013 Efficiency and Fiscal Integrity in Healthcare Introduction Governor Rick Perry decided not participates in the state based health insurance exchange program. Even thought it has one of the largest numbers of citizens who are uninsured. The exchange will be run by the federal Government to help people obtain insurance. If bought by December 15th, 2013 you will be able to use it as soon as January 1st. If you do not acquire coverage prior to March 31st, 2014, you will not be able to use the exchange till the end of 2014. It also includes that every person that does not have insurance could be charged a fee and could get cost assistance. It all will depend on what you make will be use to see how much of it that the individual has to pay. Perry has led the movement for the not in favor of the Affordable Care Act that will be taking place as the House Republicans state that they will delay government financing sometime this month lest currency will be removed form this program. Number of Republicans has gone as far as to threaten that the country's debts will not be paid unless Obamacare is not postponed and abandon completely. Governor Perry has ordered Rathgeber to make sure Texas navigators have an extra forty hours to go through training, go through a difficult state-administered exam; background checks (Marty Schladen, 2013) and commands the navigators to give names and additional information concerning individuals who have enrolled...
Words: 833 - Pages: 4
...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 Medicaid is a shared expense of state and federation, the federal government will take 95 percent of the expansion cost between 2014, when it is effective to 2019. The Medicaid enrollment is planned to increase by 15.9 million in that span that will consequently lower the uninsured low income by 11.2 million. The states of the West and the South where there are huge uninsured are...
Words: 1104 - Pages: 5
...----------------------- Help with HealthCare Resource for the uninsured i Statistics Nearly 18 percent of Coloradans lack health insurance, according to a report released by the U.S. Census Bureau but in some areas of the state that percentage is significantly higher. Relying on data from 2005, the Census Bureau calculated 17.7 percent of Coloradans — or 743,934 people — don’t have health insurance. Among all states, the uninsured problem is most severe in Texas, where 26.3 percent of its residents don’t have a health plan. The report covers people younger than 65; those 65 and older qualify for the government’s Medicare program. Across Colorado, the uninsured rate is as high as 37.8 percent, in Saguache County. More than a third of residents in San Juan, Phillips and Custer counties also are lacking health coverage. Breaking out the numbers along demographic lines, Hispanics in Colorado were more likely to be uninsured (35.3 percent) than blacks. Barriers To decrease health disparity age low socio-economic status language & cultural/religious beliefs personal biases Barrier to decreasing disparity in the uninsured need specific skills to match the unique and challenging needs of this group. Lack of financial resources, lack of options for consultation referrals, socioeconomic and cultural barriers, and a mistrust of health care providers are a few of the characteristics of this population that necessitate specific skills...
Words: 1786 - Pages: 8
...United States Government Accountability Office GAO For Release on Delivery Expected at 10:00 a.m. EDT Thursday, May 26, 2005 Testimony Before the Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives NONPROFIT, FOR-PROFIT, AND GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS Uncompensated Care and Other Community Benefits Statement of David M. Walker Comptroller General of the United States GAO-05-743T May 26, 2005 Highlights Highlights of GAO-05-743T, a testimony before the Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives Accountability Integrity Reliability NONPROFIT, FOR-PROFIT, AND GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS Uncompensated Care and Other Community Benefits Why GAO Did This Study Before 1969, IRS required hospitals to provide charity care to qualify for tax-exempt status. Since then, however, IRS has not specifically required such care, as long as the hospital provides benefits to the community in other ways. Seeking a better understanding of the benefits provided by nonprofit hospitals, this Committee requested that GAO examine whether nonprofit hospitals provide levels of uncompensated care and other community benefits that are different from other hospitals. This statement focuses on, by ownership group, hospitals’ (1) provision of uncompensated care, which consists of charity care and bad debt, and (2) reporting of other community benefits. The hospital ownership groups were (nonfederal) government, nonprofit, and for-profit. To compare the three hospital ownership groups...
Words: 9303 - Pages: 38
...for around 18,000 premature deaths per year (Robinson 2007). United States hast the highest spending in the world yet, among the 30 nations that make up Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), United States on most health indicators ranks near bottom (Robinson 2007). Health Provision is the primary goal for any hospital. This paper seeks to design a policy and procedure that can be implemented in hospital to address this issue. According to a federal report on health care quality released in July 2012, The 2011 State Snapshots report based on key health indicators such as cancer rates, early childhood care, elderly care, infant mortality, disease prevention and mortality rate in States such as Mississippi and Texas ranked poorly. The main cause for this poor health performance in these states was linked to the high costs of health insurance (WHO, 2012). According to the U.S. census Bureau released in 2011, based of the 2010 data, statistics shows that the...
Words: 1043 - Pages: 5
