The Impact of the Affordable Care Act

The Impact of the Affordable Care Act

Introduction

The United States confronts a crucial need for enhanced health of its population. In relation to other 16 prosperous states, the U.S. ranks last in life expectancy, and over the past three decades, the gap between the top countries and U.S. has increased. In actual fact, the U.S. is at the outset of a much needed and a long overdue reform in health care (Lachman, 2012). In the United States, health care investments are terrible; as compared to other wealthy nations, the United States expends nearly double on health care, with little progress in results to show for it (Woolf & Aron, 2013). There are dismal statistics regarding the high cost health care system of United States, along with, less than stellar outcomes (like infant mortality) (Callahan, 2011; World Health Organization, 2011). Unfortunately, among US states, the rank of North Carolina is 33rd in overall population health (www.americashealthrankings.org). This paper aims to analyze the Affordable Care Act (ACA); the impact and ethical implications of the Act will be discussed in detail in this paper.

Discussion

Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act was signed into law, on March 23, 2010, by President Obama. The Act makes the most imperative changes in national health care system with the expansion of health coverage to almost all Americans; making essential changes in the rules governing insurance companies; and transforming the system of health care delivery by giving more importance to primary care and prevention.

The Overall Impact of the Affordable Care Act

In 2011, Medicaid was not provided to nondisabled, childless, non-elderly adults, even if they were poor, homeless or unemployed. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act implement several momentous changes to health care delivery system. On the whole, changes to the healthcare delivery system of United States under the reform initiatives of ACA are aimed for improving the patients' care quality, in addition to, control on costs of healthcare and increasing patient accessibility. A number of the uninsured persons who obtain insurance coverage will gain their coverage, in 2014, through the Medicaid program of state. The Affordable Care Act, which will be started in 2014, necessitates that states expand Medicaid coverage to most uninsured adults with modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) not more than 138% of the federal poverty limit. The planned expansion of Medicaid will not provide health coverage to undocumented immigrants, or many legal immigrants who have been in the country for less than five years.

Dramatic changes will be made by the ACA in health care in the coming years. Virtually all Americans will get accessibility to health insurance coverage, and there will be a fundamental change in the rules governing insurance companies to eradicate their capability to pick out customers and prevent insuring individuals with preexistent illnesses.

Impact of the Economics of Providing Care to Patients

The ACA will strengthen the performance measurement infrastructure to support quality improvement, payment, efficiency, and delivery reform. Greater transparency will be encouraged by the ACA ...