...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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...the US Health Reform Bill The latest poll out today from the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonpartisan health-care-policy research organization, says only 27 percent of the public has been following the 2010 health reform debate closely. Despite this, more than half (56 percent) of Americans think health reform is more important than ever. Very smart people are zoning out of the health care reform debate because they think it’s just too complicated. The complexities of US health reform are a problem, because American citizens and politicians cannot make good decisions about an issue they do not clearly understand or have been misinformed. Defining the goals of reform is relatively easy. Implementing them is tough and that’s where people are made to feel stupid - partly by special interest groups who intentionally or unintentionally confuse the debate. According to John Lapook in an article posted on CBS News.com, at least one senator admits he has no intention of reading it. "I don't expect to actually read the legislative language because . . . the legislative language is among the more confusing things I've ever read in my life," Sen. Thomas Carper (D-Del.) quotes to online news service in the article. Carper told CBSnews.com that the bill was "incomprehensible" and "hard stuff to understand. Carper stated he doubts his fellow members of the Senate Finance Committee will read their handiwork either. The article states that the committee is drafting a summary of the awkwardly...
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...Timeline: History of Health Reform in the U.S. VIEW: Early 1900's 1930 – 1934 1935 – 1939 1940 - 1945 1945 - 1949 1950 - 1954 1955 - 1959 1960 – 1964 1965 – 1969 1970 - 1974 1975 – 1979 1980 - 1984 1985 - 1989 1990 – 1994 1995 - 1999 2000 – 2004 2005 – 2009 2010 1912 Teddy Roosevelt and his Progressive party endorse social insurance as part of their platform, including health insurance. 1912 National Convention of Insurance Commissioners develops first model of state law for regulating health insurance. 1915 The American Association for Labor Legislation 1912 Teddy Roosevelt and his Progressive party endorse social insurance as part of their platform, including health insurance. 1912 National Convention of Insurance Commissioners develops first model of state law for regulating health insurance. 1915 The American Association for Labor Legislation Early 1900's 1921 Women reformers persuade Congress to pass the Sheppard-Towner Act, which provided matching funds to states for prenatal and child health centers. Act expires in 1929 and is not reauthorized. (AALL) publishes a draft bill for compulsory health insurance and promotes campaigns in several states. A few states show interest, but fail to enact as U.S. enters into World War I. The idea draws initial support from the AMA, but by 1920 AMA reverses their position. 1927 Committee on the Costs of Medical Care forms to study the economic organization of medical care. Group is comprised of economists...
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...Health Care Service Corporation Market Department To: Denise A Bujak, Vice President From: Market Research Assistant Subject: Summary Report-Information about Health Care Date: 28 June, 2011 The purpose of this memo is to summarize three popular writer’s views regarding the U.S. health-care system. Chris Farrell, Steve Forbes, and Greg Nelson analyze the current market trends and offer us their methods to improve the economy of the health insurance industry. Summary In general, there are some flaws in the U.S. health-care. All three writers point out different ways to fix it. In their passages, the main point of distinction involves government intervention in the market. Farrell prefers the universal coverage on health-care, claiming that government intervention will promote the economy in the short-term. In contrast, Forbes hopes through macro-control to adjust the current insurance market. Nelson supports government intervention as a means to cut administration cost and help the health-care system run well. Discussion In their discussions, they hope health-care reform can speed up U.S. economic recovery and help most people are insured. For our company, I think we need to know more information about the U.S. health-care reform which is good for us to make a right direction in a long term. Now, we are starting to share their opinions. Chris Farrell adopts the health care reform, because he...
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...termpaperwarehouse.com/essay-on/Healthcare-Reform/115333 Kyle LaBelle Participation in Government Healthcare Reform Research Paper My question is, how long is it going to take for the world’s most powerful country to create a sustainable healthcare system? We have spent too many years with small reforms, ; we need big changes, and we need them soon. Healthcare has a long and detailed history in the United States. Since the beginning of the 20th century, it has been a major source of political debate. Both federal and state governments have made efforts in trying to take steps toward a universal health care system. Early reform poured the foundation for today’s government healthcare programs. The United States witnessed social movements that demanded access to the American dream. People who were viewed as second-class citizens banded together and demanded reform on their behalves. The largest of these movements was a demand for universal healthcare. American’s greatest issue was sickness and missing work. When working individuals missed work due to “sickness” they lost their wages. The loss of income made sickness the leading cause of poverty. Reformists saw a need for national healthcare and the campaign began. Health insurance that would protect the worker against wage loss and expenses incurred from medical treatment. In 1906, the American Association of Labor Legislation (AALL) became active in the push for national health care. They created a committee that concentrated...
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...Impacts of Health Reform on Women’s Reproductive Health Stephanie Bucher COMM/215 January 10, 2015 Linda Camp In March of 2010, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law by President Obama. This federal law intended to make health insurance more affordable and more readily accessible to citizens and legal residents of the United States. (Salganicoff, 2014). The Affordable Care Act benefits all of the citizens of the United States, and it has been especially beneficial to women's health issues. It has been said to be the "greatest advance for women's health in a generation" (Health Reform is Making a Difference is Women's Lives, 2012). The passing of the Affordable Care Act will allow approximately 6.8 million low-income woman to gain access to health insurance. (Levy, 2012). Women have faced discrimination in health care for generations and the Affordable Care Act has put provisions in place to address and fix this long-standing problem. ("Why The Affordable Care Act Matters For Women: Coverage of Women's Preventive Services, Including Contraception", 2012) Before the passing of the Affordable Care Act, women faced many obstacles when trying to seek care. One in Four women of reproductive age lacked health coverage, and what is especially shocking is that four out of ten poor women of childbearing age were uninsured. (Gold, 2009). These numbers are unacceptable, and most Americans believe that change needs to happen. Since the law passed, many substantial...
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...Demographic Paper University of Phoenix Valerye Rogers HCS/490- Health care Consumer- Trends and Marketing Thomas Kehoe, Instructor July 12, 2010 Demographic Paper In the following, the author was designated by the senior management team at a community hospital to write a summary on the effects of changes in population demographics on the needs and services for a selected population. The author must identify the population on which the case study will focus on the aging population, patients with a particular chronic disease, children, patients with AIDS, patients requiring long-term care, or emergency management. The author must identify the targeted population, gather data about the population demographics, and describe the general impact that changing demographics may have on the health care market. The author will discuss why and how the changes in demographics will affect health care. Two health care related challenges identified for the population is chosen. The author will also describe how a chronic disease wellness program may affect the costs for this demographic. In conclusion, the author will discuss the marketing needs or services needed for this population as well as how the chosen population can address these challenges. The population demographics that the author has chosen to write a summary on is the influence of illegal immigrations on emergency health care. Immigration reform is one of the most forming or expressing division or issues opposing the...
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...Evolving Practice of Nursing and Patient Care Delivery Models The Speech Hello, my fello nurses. Thank you for being here at the Summit of Nursing Evolution. My name is Chhay Yann-Ly and I am a nurse. We are living in an era where the United States (US) health care system is going through tremendous changes and challenges, with sky-rocketing health care costs, fragmented and poor quality of care, high volume of aging population, and passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) in 2010. A summary of the PPACA is basically to improve the health care delivery system, expand coverage, and control cost (Democratics Senate Gov/Reform, n. d.). With these changes, comes the evolutionary nursing professional transformation process. This speech is a crash course on the evolving practice of nursing and patient care delivery models. The goal of this speech is to discuss the continuity or continuum of care in relation to accountable care organizations, medical homes, and nurse-managed clinics health care models. Since nursing is the backbone of health care, all of these care delivery models require a robust nursing contribution for success (American Nurses Association (ANA), 2010). The first model is the accountable care organizations (ACO). ACOs is a “shared savings” with Medicare (part A & B). The ACO, according to the ANA (2010), is “a collaboration among primary care clinicians, a hospital, specialists and other health professionals who accept joint responsibility...
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...S. health care system to the health care system of another country. What similarities or difference s exist? Cite references to support your answer. HLT 205 Week 1 Topic 1 Discussion 2 The U.S. health care system evolved between the times of preindustrial to postindustrial America. How have the determinants of health care and associated strategies for improvement changed during this evolution? Include the growth of health care and expansion of legislation and associations in your response. Cite references to support your response. HLT 205 Week 1 Assignment U.S. Health Care Timeline Details: It is essential to identify, examine, and understand the history and foundations of health care in the U.S. as this will be the foundation for understanding health care systems though this course and in practice. Students will need to show a thorough understanding of the framework and dates of events while clearly demonstrating the impact and importance that these events have had in the medical field. For this assignment you will need to create a timeline that includes a minimum of 10 significant dates in the history of health care. Include the following in your timeline: 1. Important events or eras in health care and their impact. 2. Major figures and their contributions to health care. 3. The formation of the various health-related organizations. In addition to the timeline, include a 500-word summary,written in the third person, of your predictions of how current health care...
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...Account Summary Report BUS 599 Accounting Summary Report T&T Lemonade stand consists of twin-sisters who decided to enter into a partnership by investing initial capital of $20.00 each to sell sparkling fresh, ice cold, lemonade to drink during blistering hot summer days in Florida. One of the twins, Tayshah came up with the idea and it has flourished into a prosperous adventure. They started their endeavor with a vision and determination, began from scratch, and in just short period turned their initial capital into a profitable business. This report provides information regarding the first six days of business for season one. This report consists of a journal, which provides a detail account of all financial transactions starting with day one and ending at day six, an income statement, which reports revenues and earnings, less the expenses incurred within a six-day period, and a balance sheet that explains the assets equal to liabilities plus equity. Journaling A journal gives a complete record of each transaction in one place, day to day and shows debits and credits for each transaction (Wild, Shaw, Chaippetta, 2010). Transactions started with the initial capital of $40.00 from Tayshah &Teighlor, twin sisters, owners and the total debits and credits of $406.60. This journal provides a chronological order by date totaling six-days. The journal capture revenues earned during the cash sales from the lemonade stand, debits for equipment and supplies...
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