The purpose of this assignment is to familiarize yourself with the intricacies of health care reform.
Write a 1,000-1,250 word paper that addresses the following:
Analyze the nature of health care reform in the United States, both in the past and present.
Discuss the two needed elements in health care reform and why they hold importance.
- Evaluate a minimum of three different health care reform strategies and provide a rationale for each.
- Choose one of the three areas (above) and provide a specific example of health care reform at either the state or national level: (a) What was it called? (b) Who introduced it? (c) When was it introduced? (d) What was its ultimate purpose? and (e) Did it succeed? If not, why not?
- Incorporate two or three peer-reviewed scholarly resources in your paper.
- Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is required.
Government and Policy for U.S. Health Leaders
Higbea, R., & Cline, G. (2021). Government and policy for U.S. health leaders (2nd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning. ISBN-13: 9781284207767 (Available as a custom eBook – includes only Chapter 6)
Essentials of Health Economics
Dewar, D. M. (2017). Essentials of health economics (2nd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning. ISBN-13: 9781284054620
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
Health care reform has become a major topic of discussion over the years in the United States. It involves making changes to the existing health care system to improve services and affordability. As a medical professor, it’s essential to provide students with knowledge on the history and current state of health care reform.
Answer:
Health care reform in the United States has been an ongoing concern for decades, but it gained significant attention during the 2008 presidential election. Along with the Affordable Care Act, other reforms have been enacted to improve the health care system.
Two crucial elements in health care reform are access and affordability. Access implies that all Americans should have access to affordable health care coverage, regardless of their income or health status. Affordability ensures that citizens can afford health care coverage and obtain services without financial barriers.
The first health care reform strategy is expanding Medicaid coverage. Medicaid is a program that provides healthcare coverage to low-income individuals and families. Expanding Medicaid coverage enables people who are currently uninsured or underinsured to access necessary health care services. The second strategy is implementing regulations to reduce health care costs. This involves creating policies to regulate pharmaceutical pricing, medical billing and ensuring that health care providers are held accountable for providing accurate information and services. Lastly, moving towards a universal healthcare system, which offers healthcare coverage to all citizens, has been proposed as another strategy.
In 2010, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was introduced as a health care reform strategy at the national level. It was signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. The ACA aimed to provide more affordable health care coverage to all Americans and included a mandate that required all uninsured Americans to purchase health insurance or pay a penalty. Additionally, the ACA introduced several provisions that targeted specific areas of the health care system, such as electronic health records and preventive services. Furthermore, the ACA established state and federal insurance exchanges to help people compare and purchase health insurance policies. The ultimate purpose of the ACA was to provide access to affordable health care coverage to a broader population. It has been successful in expanding access to health care coverage, reducing the uninsured rate, and improving the quality of health care services. However, it has faced significant backlash and challenges, with several attempts to repeal the law.
In conclusion, health care reform is an ongoing process in the United States. Every reform strategy has its pros and cons. As such, it’s essential to evaluate each strategy’s rationale and impact and implement them with caution. Through legislative efforts and evidence-based practices, it’s possible to introduce reforms that will enhance the health care system’s equity and accessibility.
