...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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...and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is one of the most substantial reforms in Medicare since 1965. This is now considered the law of the land according to Douglas Holtz-Eaton. The PPACA portrays a “coverage first” strategy. “Sadly, a review a of the state’s experience bodes poorly for the future of national reform.” (Point/Counterpoint 177) There are two major driving factors in which could propose a threat for this reform. The first factor is it costs too much. Many decades ago, healthcare spending was at a minimum and not the focal point of American citizens. The statics show during 1970, national health expenditures were $1,300 per person and consumed 7 cents out of every national dollar, 7% of the GDP. Since the 1970, the spending per person has grown 2% more each year than income per captia. Therefore, healthcare costs have been increasing at such a high rate and will continue to threaten many decades to come. The second factor is the skyrocket of health insurance. This obviously is not mindboggling due to the fact that it is a reaction to the rapid increase of healthcare. Insurance costs have tripled over the past decade, making it hard for the average citizen to afford such outrageous premiums. As a result, less and less people are opting out of health insurance, which is no longer an option due to the new federal law making health insurance mandatory. The PPACA reform is looked upon with a “cost first” approach. This approach allows quality care to be inexpensive...
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...The first is abortion in its own and the second being the leadership of the governor. Through these two topics, it shows how the governor had signed the bills for abortion in Wisconsin in secrecy. The bill consists of multiple parts of procedures the doctor needs to perform before following through with the abortion. One bill is that doctors need to ask the patient alone if they want the abortion or if they have to oblige. The second bill is that no medical expense paid from insurance agencies unless the pregnancy is through rape, incest, or of people who need it medically. According to "Controversial Abortion Bill Among Several Walker Quietly Signed Into Law" (2012), "Another bill comes into play with Health Care Reform in 2014, banning abortion coverage sold through a health insurance exchange, except in cases of rape, incest or medical necessity” (para. 11). I do support the cause of why the governor is doing this; however, he is doing it for the wrong reasons. He signed these bills before he is leaving office and has done them secretly. According to "Leadership = Controversy With Civility" (2011), "Involve everyone in planning and problem solving. Avoid making decisions behind closed doors” (para. 10). This states that to avoid controversy that all decisions should avoid secrecy and allot everyone in the decision. This shows bad leadership by the governor. It also shows how the governor had made the decisions hastily because of the rush out of office and the want to passing...
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...you read regarding healthcare reform. Evaluate each source's CURRENCY, AUTHORITY, PURPOSE, OBJECTIVITY and WRITING STYLE on a 10-point scale (10 is the best score). You should write notes to yourself about why you scored each source as you did. If you don’t write notes, you will have a much harder time explaining your rationale for your scores. Bring this ranking sheet with you when you come to class. When you are done scoring, rank the five sources from 1-5 (#1 should be the best source; 5 should be the worst). You can discuss your rankings with your group and explain why you ranked the sources the way you did. Example: Z. Why I Hate Health Care Reform C:_9__ A:_6___ P: _5__ O: _1__ W: _9__ Total Score: _30_/50 Rating the Articles A. One Month Later: Making Healthcare Reform a Reality C:_7___ A:_5___ P: __5__ O: __5__ W: __4__ Total Score: __26__/50 Notes: B. The Five Biggest Lies in the Healthcare Debate C:__3__ A:___5 P: _6___ O: ___2_ W: ___6_ Total Score: ___22_/50 Notes: C. The Moral Case Against Healthcare Reform C:__2__ A:__6__ P: _2___ O: __6__ W: _3___ Total Score: _19___/50 Notes: D. What Happened to Healthcare Reform? C:__5__ A:__1__ P: ___7_ O: __2__ W: __9__ Total Score: __24__/50 Notes: E. Andrew Rubin on Healthcare Reform C:__4__ A:_5___...
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...For US citizens covered by private health insurance, receiving treatment is not necessarily easy with many insurance contracts containing terms and conditions excluding treatments which would be covered under the NHS. This has led to scandals where individuals have died as a result of not reading the fine print on their insurance contracts a massive 21% of claims in California are rejected by private insurers. (Reuters 2011) The profit-driven running of companies that are essentially meant to provide coverage guaranteeing the maintenance of health has seen managers receiving salaries exceeding 13 million dollars compared with the NHS’s top salary of less than half a million US. Not covering an individual for expensive treatment thus saves the company money and provides stockholders with dividends or capital gain a very dangerous approach to the provision of healthcare coverage. An estimated 62% of individuals’ bankruptcies are related to healthcare bills, and of these,80% had health insurance numbers which would cause widespread revolt among Europeans. The private nature of US healthcare has resulted in pharmaceutical companies directly advertising to consumers the infamously endemic “ask your doctor if MagicMarioMix is suitable for you” tagline. Consumers thus ask their doctors about the advertised drug, and every 1 US dollar spent on advertising by pharmaceutical companies’ results in $4.20 of sales. The quick-fix or one-pill solution approach, rife among Americans, is reflected...
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...The article that I am reviewing is called “Healthcare Reform: The Importance of a Public Option” by Stephen Gorin. The article discusses the issues that we are now currently dealing with well the House and the Senate debate and try to create the healthcare reform that would make sure that everyone has healthcare coverage. The big issue within this article is creating a level playing field for all the parties: the non covered public, the already covered public, the healthcare companies and the government. As if you didn’t already know this is not the easiest task as everyone wants to have a say on how it is going to be accomplished. One of the big things discussed in this article is the public plan option that is currently being debated in the legislation. Many people don’t feel that it would create a “level playing field”. One person described the public option as "a Trojan horse for government control and the progressive destruction of Americans' private health insurance coverage.” They are stating that there would be no way that with a public option would insurance companies is able to compete with a government public option. They cover what would have to happen to make this plan also work. They stated that to make the public option work that they would have to reduce rates to providers who could in turn refuse to see these patients with this coverage. They then go to discuss that they would have to create a payment system to providers that is equal and they close the gap...
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...Seminar 3 Short Paper – Healthcare Reform Philosophy of Ethics Healthcare Reform According to Teitbaum & Wilensky (2007), policies developed in different industries form an integral part of how individuals perform various activities aimed at assisting the society. Signing of Patient Protection and Affordable Act by the United States by President Barrack Obama led to a lot of changes in the health sector. The introduction of healthcare reform in the health sector act brought about many reforms that ensues affordable healthcare services to all regardless of financial status. The healthcare reform ensures every American citizen has a private or government insurance to take care of their hospital bills. In addition, more than 60% of citizens have their insurance covered by employers while Medicaid covers most low income earners, disabled people and people over the age of 65. Healthcare reform has introduced both virtue ethics and care ethics in the health sector through human resource capacity building and development and knowledge sharing as well as information management systems. The ethical issues that relate to health care requirements should ensure that clinicians and physicians have adequate training on how to handle ethical values in health problems. The health care practitioners are obligated to understand the ethical frameworks as well as moral theories related to influencing health care practices positively. Healthcare reform must follow a clear moral foundation...
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...Supreme Court on the PPACA Constitutionality From the moment the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) was just in its proposal stage, it proved to be the most argued upon piece of US legislation of the last decades. It stirred controversy among the general public, medical professionals, raising concerns of various nature, including public health, legal, and ethical, to the delight of hundreds of political analysts. “Chief Justice Roberts has handed a political weapon to the Republicans, who can portray the PPACA as a major tax increase. Another potentially disturbing element of Chief Justice Roberts's opinion is the limitations he places on the federal spending power… The federal government could place conditions on the new Medicaid grants, Roberts argued, but could not threaten existing Medicaid funding without being unconstitutionally coercive. This part of Roberts's opinion is unfortunate, making it more likely that a few red states will reject the Medicaid expansion for no compelling reason.” (Lemieux, 2012) From the public health perspective, the decision of the Supreme Court does not seem beneficial. It is obvious that PPACA was intended to address the social inequalities that prevent millions of low income, uninsured citizens to benefit of decent health care. The law aims to accomplish the following major tasks: to raise the quality of medical care, to offer care based on the patients freedom of choice, the affordability of such treatments, and a nation to...
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...Ethical Dilemma Paper: Health Care Reform Ethics stands for morality. Morals involve having a sense of right and wrong, good and bad; all are notions that affect the human conscience. Morals inspire rules of actions. In today’s health care with longer life spans, increased dependency on technology advancements, diversity and staff shortages, new demands for collaborations are creating challenges for health care professionals. Health care departments and professionals are there to improve care, provide treatment services, and outcomes, professionals must recognize and respect the rights of each patient and conduct business in an ethical manner. With today’s health care reform is this standard being compromised? Why has this health care reform struck such ethical controversy? Is it because politicians desired to gain the peoples vote against their opponents with Obamacare? Maybe politician’s moral beliefs and values were not to benefit all. In 2010 ethical challenges were brought on when the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) a federal statue was signed into law by President Obama, requiring U.S. citizens and legal residents to have health insurance and be qualifying health insurance. Congress and the President passed legislation that reduces payments for health care professionals and increases penalties for citizens and businesses, pushing health care providers to nearly being bankrupt, further risking accessibility for all Americans. Health care is defined as the...
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...American College of Emergency Physicians. (2014). The Ethics of Health Care Reform: Issues in Emergency-Medicine- An Information Paper. Retrieved January 09, 2015, from http://www.acep.org/Physician-Resources/Practice- Resources/Professionalism/Ethics/The-Ethics-of-Health-Care-Reform--Issues-in- Emergency---Medicine---An-Information-Paper/ This article discusses the most important ethical issues under the Affordable Care Act. These ethics are outline through the basic provisions and moral foundations of this Act. The author list the four goals of the Affordable Care Act and believe that they are attractive enough to be endorsed by the United States. This is a helpful source for getting an insight on why the reform is needed and the role it will play in the lives of the citizens in the United States. Kocher, R., Emanuel, E.J., & DeParle, N. M. (2010). The Affordable Care Act and the Future of Clinical Medicine: The opportunities and challenges. Annals of Internal Medicine, 153(8), 536-539. Retrieved on January 09, 2015 from: http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=746295&resultClick=3 This journal article explains the purpose of the Affordable Care Act and the ways it removes barriers preventing consumers from getting health care. This article focuses on the goals of the Affordable Care Act and the impact it will have on the quality of care though Patient Centered efforts and it also helps in the effort to reduce readmissions. This Journal...
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...Organizational Responsibility and Current Health Care Issues Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) Health Law and Ethics Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act History “After the enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in March 2010, numerous lawsuits challenging various provisions of the momentous health care reform law were filed in the federal courts. Many of those cases were dismissed, but some federal appellate courts issued decisions on the merits of the law. In November 2011, the United States Supreme Court agreed to consider several issues related to the constitutionality of the ACA arising out of two cases in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals” (The Henry J Kaiser Family Foundation). Headline news featured the highly controversial Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), also referred to as Obamacare, during the week of 25-June-2012. In response to health care crises in the United States, PPACA advanced to the forefront. “[W]e must also address the crushing cost of health care. This is a cost that now causes a bankruptcy in America every thirty seconds. By the end of the year, it could cause 1.5 million Americans to lose their homes. In the last eight years, premiums have grown four times faster than wages. And in each of these years, one million more Americans have lost their health insurance. It is one of the major reasons why small businesses close their doors and corporations ship jobs overseas. And...
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...Administrative Ethics Jolinda Chavez HCS/335 July 24, 2011 Katherine Rossiter Administrative Ethics Core Problems in the Health System According to the article, Crossing Our Lines; Working Together to Reform the U.S. Health System, by Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, and Bob Dole, “The problems policymakers seek to resolve through comprehensive health reform are significant. Today, the nation’s health care system focuses primarily on treating illness and not improving population health. Additionally, health care spending and premiums are rising at a rate that is unsustainable for our nation’s families, businesses, and governments. Growth in health care costs is much higher than growth in wages and gross domestic product (GDP). Consequently, despite a wider range of better medical treatments becoming available, more and more people are struggling to afford even the most basic levels of care. Particularly in the face of the recent economic downturn, growing numbers of people are losing their jobs and the health benefits those jobs provide. Many others are finding that they can no longer afford to pay monthly insurance premiums and out-of-pocket cost sharing for needed medical services. Rising cost trends also extend to public health care programs, with states forced to cut other services, including education, to maintain their Medicaid programs. The federal government’s long-term fiscal problem is largely related to cost and demographic trends that are causing unsustainable...
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...Analysis of Health Care Reform Ima Student Grand Canyon University: HCA 530 Month Day, Year Analysis of Health Care Reform Health care reform is a controversial topic that it is both political and emotional. The debate goes on about the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and its legality on both sides of the aisle. This paper will detail concerns about health care reform including cost, quality, and access. This paper will answer the question if the current health care system is a market failure that requires government involvement, will detail changes proposed from both political parties and will summarize elements needed for reform in health care. Health Care Cost, Quality, and Access Health care cost, quality, and access are central to health care reform. There is no surprise the expense of health care in the United States. In the year 2010 health care was 17.9% of the gross domestic product (GDP) and costs continue to rise (Hicks, 2014). In contrast, health care is 8.7% of the GDP in the United Kingdom (Hicks, 2014). There is much work to do in the United States to get and keep health care costs under control. Health care quality is increasingly important and the ACA has emphasized quality care. Health care organizations are incentivized to decrease infections in hospitals and provide better quality care. Payment from Medicare is being aligned with quality and increased patient satisfaction. If patients acquire hospital acquired infections during their hospital stay, it will...
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...Code of Ethics Ashley Moorehead, Linda Boucher, Marcia Widger, and Jamie Dudek University of Phoenix Health Care Ethics and Social Responsibility HCS 335 December 17, 2011 Introduction - The American Medical Association (AMA) has improved public health, invested in the doctor and patient relationship, and promoted scientific advancement for more than 160 years. The history of the AMA is an important narrative, which demonstrates the role the members and the institution have played in the United States in the development of medicine. Public health betterment and the science and art of medicine are the mission of the American Medical Association. In this paper we will describe the code of ethics, general perspective, and mission statement of the American Medical Association. Mission statement American Medical Association goal is to “To promote the art and science of medicine and the betterment of public health.”(2). They have a couple of values they promote as a company. They are Leadership, Excellence, and Integrity and Ethical Behavior. American Medical Association strives to be professional and helpful to patients on all public health issues. General perspective The AMA promotes healthy lifestyles and will continue to develop and conduct scientific research and disseminate to doctors clinical resources related to the treatment and prevention of health issues for the public, like alcohol, and other drug abuse, violence prevention, and obesity. The American Medical...
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...Health Care Law and Regulations University of Phoenix Louise Underhahl HCS 545 Health Care Law and Ethics 2012 Health Care Law and Regulations One of the areas that are currently affecting the Health Care industry is Regulatory agencies. There is much dissatisfaction over the current state of healthcare in the U.S. Within all of our organizations, regulatory agency surveys are conducted to better the organizations as well as its employees. The purpose of the regulatory surveys is to focus on the areas that need improvement as well as promoting better health care access to the people in the community. Regulatory agencies serve as authority as well as enforcement to regulate laws from the government. Some examples of regulatory agencies are Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA). There are many examples of laws and regulations that are currently being faced in health care. Analysis of health care laws and regulations help one understand their influences on the provider. There are many ways that laws and regulations affect our lives and community. The FDA is responsible for the oversight of drugs, medical devices, vaccines, blood products and biologics, establishing rules for testing, clinical trials and approval of new products. The AHRQ is a federal agency under Health & Human Services working to improve the quality, effectiveness and safety of health care...
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