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Healthcare Reform Essay

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March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law. There is no denying that Healthcare reform is a necessity at this point. Something absolutely has to change in America’s Healthcare. “It seems clear that if we continue down the path of healthcare delivery we current practice in this country, even if it is practiced a bit more efficiently, we will have failed. We will bankrupt this country, and the health of our citizens will continue to decline” (Riley, 2009). The question remains however, is the Affordable Care Act the answer to our crisis?
The intentions of the ACA are honorable. Creators plan to reform healthcare by attacking several areas with issues. Main focus of goals include
Universality – The right of every citizen to have healthcare. All citizens should be in a common risk pool.
Financing – intent to reform based on spreading the cost of healthcare out equally. The common risk pool comes largely into play here because the young and healthy will subsidize some of the care needed by the sick and elderly.
Cost – Reduction – Stabilizing the cost of healthcare and reducing the rate of growth
Payment Reform – paying for outcomes and values achieved, rather than the volume of care given.
Quality and process improvement - Components that will improve reporting and quality indicators of care.
Prevention and Wellness - goal to reduce the cost of healthcare by promoting healthy living, therefore, less need for medical care. (Panning, 2014).
In some ways the ACA has expanded access to health care. With the expansion of the Medicaid system, more people have access to health insurance at no cost to them. The development of the “Insurance Supermarket”, allows consumers to shop for the insurance that fits their needs. There are programs instilled that factor in things such as income level and household size that may reduce the price

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