...Healthcare reform advocates are undoubtedly relieved to have successfully facilitated a historical legislative process - the culmination of which resulted in President Barack Obama passing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), a federal statute which, in tandem with the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act (HCERA) of 2010, formed the Health Care Reform Act of 2010. This dual set of reforms jointly address many of the undesirable issues that have transpired within the United States health care system, such as offering citizens a cost-effective broad choice of Insurance coverage, bringing skyrocketing healthcare costs under control, making Medicare more efficient, and enacting consumer protection laws which will hold insurance companies accountable for the prevalent discriminatory actions which have pervaded the system (Obama, 2009). However, HCERA opponents will continue to utilize legislative protocol to upend the policy. As with any perceived discrepancy in the legislative process, opponents of HCERA are outraged that the “Democratic leadership’s decision to “ram through” reform using budget reconciliation to modify the Senate-passed bill sufficiently to make it acceptable to the House” (Aaron & Reischauer, 2010). As much as “outrage” may have no legitimate place in policy-making, high emotions will nonetheless negatively affect future debate. The level of vitriol from the opposition to health care reform reached unprecedented heights, with people...
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...husband is over 50 and I am fast-approaching that age. He is a member of AARP and as a spouse so am I. We get the newsletters and e-mail but I never really paid much attention to the influence AARP had over policies affecting people over 50. The main theme of my paper is how AARP’s organization and lobbying efforts show that to be a force to be reckoned with, an interest group can use money and sheer numbers to get it’s point across. First let’s define what a lobbying is. According to Encyclopedia Britannica “lobbying, any attempt by individuals or private interest groups to influence the decisions of government; in its original meaning it referred to efforts to influence the votes of legislators, generally in the lobby outside the legislative chamber. Lobbying in some form is inevitable in any political system” (Britannica 2011). The organization I chose to write about was formerly known as the National Retired Teachers Association. “Because of its broader focus on issues ranging from medical care, social security, health and welfare, aging, insurance, financial planning, and consumer protection, the name was officially changed in 1999 to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)” (Money Matters 2011). AARP is a “nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50 and over improve the quality of their lives” (AARP 2011). As mentioned above, AARP is involved with many concerns affecting those in their 50s and beyond. “AARP’s mission is to enhance...
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...U.S. Health Care Quality Analysis: Legislative History Following up to the 1999 release of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, To Err Is Human, in 2002 a Kaiser Family Foundation survey found that only about 5% of physicians considered medical errors as a primary healthcare concern.[1] Congress, however, did not share the physicians’ nonchalant attitude and gave the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) an estimated $50 million towards minimizing medical errors.[2] Senator James Jeffords (R-VT) of the 107th Congress introduced the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act (S.2590) to the Senate on June 4, 2002[3] attempting to improve the safety of patients and “…reduce the incidence of events that adversely effect patient safety.”[4] In 2003, President Bush signed into law the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act (P.L 108-173).[5] A section of this law authorized AHRQ to research effectiveness in treatments in order to set a guideline to improve the quality of care.[6] John Eisenberg helped build this program that generates summaries that can help provide health care providers with evidence-based practices that help improve quality of care delivered.[7] Realizing the importance of this research to quality of care, the president signed the Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (H.R. 1) into law on February 17, 2009, providing additional funding to continue effective research.[8] This helps to demonstrate the...
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...different terms served by each member of the corresponding branches, avoids the monarchial system most Americans of the time were familiar with from Great Britain, France and the likes of the various European nations America’s immigrants hail from. The political system up to this day is unique but leaves too many national issues to be lost in legalities, slowing the nation down while political and economic developments move faster and faster in our modern world. We will examine the US governmental process through political, economic, and social dimensions. In addition, we will discuss the character of American society, and the change in society throughout American history. The political aspect of American government is built on bureaucracies who handle the different flavors of public service, i.e. health care reform, education, and national security just to name a few. In order to understand the political aspect of government it must be first observed on a grand scale, and the social and economic aspects must be included in the discussion. When examining American government, one thing that stands out the most is the system of checks and balances carried out...
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...Analysis of Development in the Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic has experienced a tumultuous history, which has caused the country to develop into a constant state of crisis. The situation in the Dominican Republic is bleak socially and economically. There is widespread and extreme poverty and violence, as well as an overall lack of available education and medical care. Luis Barrios and David Brotherton, authors of “Dominican Republic” (2004), asserted “the current state of affairs is partly the legacy of decades of corrupt authoritarian rule, and partly due to the political betrayal and moral bankruptcy of the country’s elites who failed to bring to fruition the promises of democracy.” The disparities in income and education between the richest and the poorest in this country are extreme, and there has been little true economic development in decades. The economic and social development of the Dominican Republic is continuously being hindered by the widespread corruption of the elites and the politicians. The Dominican Republic has a long history of corruption and poverty. In 1930, a military coup put Rafael Trujillo in power. Trujillo ruled the Dominican Republic for over 30 years as an absolute dictatorship (Barrios & Brotherton 2004). Trujillo followed an uneven mix of repression and ruthlessness along with modernization (Barrios & Brotherton 2004). Many people suffered under his dictatorship. Trujillo was always on the look out for disloyalty and potential...
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...implemented. The three branches of Government consists of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. These branches are to be a checks and balance for each other to ensure that the American people best interest is kept at the forefront of the decisions made in Washington (McLennan, 2011). The executive branch of the federal government has the responsibility of creating and developing a process for how a piece of legislation would it affect the American people and give the directive on how that piece of legislation should look and be instituted. The Congressional or legislative branch...
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...Policy Process: The Affordable Care Act Dinah Riveron HCS/455 May 18, 2015 John Cutspec Policy Process: The Affordable Care Act The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed by President Obama on March 23, 2010 as the means to enforce Health Insurance reform. Its main object is to make Health Insurance and Preventive care accessible and affordable to the American population. The Affordable Care Act The ACA major components include: Medicaid expansion, allowing states the opportunity to expand their existing Medicaid programs to include, (OPA, 1015) “individuals under 65 years of age with incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level… (as well as) certain low-income adults without children” (Medicaid Expansion). Health Insurance Marketplace (HIM), available for access to individuals and small businesses enabling them to compare a variety of plans on the basis of price, quality and benefits and to choose the most affordable option according to their needs. The proposed three models are State Operated, State and Government Operated, and Federal Government Operated, for States that choose not to establish a program. Under the ACA, health services provided by all Insurance companies (participating or not on the HIM) are required to offer individuals and small businesses, affordable health Insurance plans that allow access to ten services identified as Essential Health Benefits (EHB). EHB services include, Ambulatory and Emergency services, Hospitalization...
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...The knowledge of the foundations of nursing history provides a context in which to understand current nursing practice in various ways, it allows for us as nurses to recognize how far nursing has come since ancient times as far back as the days of Walter Whitman who went to Washington DC to care for his brother a casualty of war. Even further in the past was the St Benedictine order where nursing education was initially recognized among lay persons and religious people who committed their lives to this line of work. It’s good to know that even though nursing remains a calling for many people who practice it, formal education and licensing has elevated it to the level of a recognized profession where it should be. The three trends that come to mind after reading the interactive timeline are; nurse registration by Elizabeth Neal, Legislative bills for the establishment of state supported institutions and specialist hospitals in the care of the mentally ill and the less privileged by Dorothea Dix and last but not the least, the work of Florence Nightingale who fought for reform of sanitary conditions in Military hospitals and the advancement of nurse education, and also her use of statistical data to analyze mortality rates in the treatment and care of the sick. Nurse Registration which is something that is internationally recognized makes the” world our oyster” so to say. Meaning it allows us as nurses to travel and practice the world over and still be recognized in our own right...
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...Comparative Foreign Policies of Cuba, Costa Rica, and the U.S.A: The Case of Health Care Policy and Outcomes The United States currently runs an inefficient and expensive healthcare system that provides limited support for its citizens. The problem stems from placing economic benefit miles in front of practical wellness of its people. Other countries, some considered “third world”, have done the reverse. Ironically, those countries have been internationally recognized over the U.S. when unfolding the quality of health care. Cuba and Costa Rica are nations of distinct economic principle and policy; yet, they share very similar qualities in public health ideology that have made them poster children of health care. Cuban Health Care Apart from being a country with rich history and culture, Cuba is one of the international frontrunners for ideal health care due to its major efforts to revamp their health care policy. Its care spans the majority of its citizens and it provides excellent quality. The Cuban government has an established national health system where it is fiscally responsible for its operation and support to all of its citizens (Merz, 2005). As government-run entity through the Ministry of Health, there are no private hospitals or clinics where doctors and pharmaceutical companies can wager large sums of profit (Merz, 2005). Before the Spanish conquest, Cuba already practiced traditional medicine provided by Bohiques. After the Spanish colonization, the...
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...Leadership influence Policy and Change in healthcare? Abstract This paper discusses how effective Leadership can influence policy and changes in the Unite States healthcare system. The implementation of new policy is often meant to improve the quality of the nation's ever-changing health care system. Several research organizations particularly healthcare based, have examined the strengths and limitations of health care in the United States and have recommended strategies to evaluate, improve the quality of health care, and leaderships ability to influence implemented changes to the system. This question proposed is can leadership style encouraged and influence both public and private initiatives to define and monitor the quality of care, measure health outcomes, develop better evidence and guidance on the appropriate use of medical services, and organize systems to improve health services and outcomes? The issues summarized in this paper are from scholarly journals, and text that offers several prospective, including real life examples that will illustrate my argument. The future of healthcare seems more defined that ever or at least compared to the last 60 years. Our great nation has had a significant history of great leadership both transactional and transformational. I will start off by saying, Leadership is not just about performing a job: It’s about making a difference. When thinking about changes in healthcare, whether it is institutional change, program...
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...Running Head: U.S. HEALTHCARE SYSTEM REFORM HS543 Health Services Finance Summer Term 2012 Instructor: Mary Black Course Project Outline U.S. Healthcare System Reform Submitted By Project Outline This project will explore the current state or our healthcare and where it is predicted to cost us in the future. We will also examine the overall health programs and how the uninsured will affect the system entirely. Universal healthcare would alleviate the financial burden on some of the population and provide access to almost all of the country's population; however, this system will cost more. Funding the program will be discussed as well as the taxes and other funding that will help pay for the coverage. Likewise, how this will affect hospitals and healthcare providers. Topic: U.S Healthcare System Reform Outline I. Abstract II. Introduce the Issue (Background) A. An analysis of our current healthcare system 1. A history of major events 2. Impact to healthcare organizations III. Defining the problem A. Political disagreements B. The increase of expenses IV. Literature Review A. Is U.S. Healthcare deteriorating? B. Effects on the profitability of local hospitals V. Analyze the Problem A. Raising insurance premiums B. The uninsured VI. Possible Solutions A. French Healthcare system B. A public option VII. Implementation Plan A. Financing VIII. Justification A. Access of...
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...United States Main article: Health care reform in the United States Health care reform in the United States Healthcare reform in the US Debate over reform History Latest enacted legislation Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Senate bill - H.R. 3590) Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (H.R. 4872) preceding legislation Social Security Amendments of 1965 Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (1986) Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (1996) Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (2003) Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act (2005) [show] More information -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This box: view· talk· edit See also: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Maximum Out-of-Pocket Premium as Percentage of Family Income (Source: CRS) In the United States, the debate regarding healthcare reform includes questions of a right to health care, access, fairness, sustainability, quality and amounts spent by government. The mixed public-private health care system in the United States is the most expensive in the world, with health care costing more per person than in any other nation, and a greater portion of gross domestic product (GDP) is spent on it than in any other United Nations member state except...
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...Topic: U.S. HEALTHCARE SYSTEM REFORM Course Project T. Wise DeVry HSM 534 Health Service Finance February 23, 2013 Week 7 Professor Alison Williams Background The United States, being the most diverse society in the world, has a long and unsuccessful history of attempts at healthcare reform. We spend almost $2 trillion dollars per year on healthcare, yet not all American people have medical coverage (Barton, 2007). A huge percent of the population have to rely on outside sources, such as benefit health care from an employer or from government programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid. As compared to other nations, our society has people that are more overweight, live under more stress, and are less in physical activity. Additionally, our healthcare system underperforms compared to with other nations in critical areas such as, access, quality and efficiency (Davis). How did our system get this way? Why are we paying so much while other nations not so much? A history of major events - The U.S. healthcare system is trying to evolve with modern times; however, as time goes on, our current situation becomes more apparent: * In the 1950s, the price of hospital care was growing; however, more attention was diverted to the war in Korea. Many legislative proposals were made, but none could not be agreed on. * In the 1960s, hospital care expenses doubled, and despite over 700 insurance companies selling health insurance, a large percentage of the population...
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...Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released an updated federal budget outlook for the next 10 year “budget window”, during the week of February 3rd, 2015. Detailed in this report were some revisions to the previous baseline projection for the effects of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). A more defined explanation and history of ACA: Federal health reform uses an approach that starts with the health insurance system we currently have in place in the United States. Health reform builds upon our current health insurance system to provide more people with access to health insurance coverage, establish legal protections for consumers, and set up mechanisms for consumers to shop knowledgeably for insurance. On July 14, 2009, House Democratic leaders introduced a 1,000-page plan for overhauling the US health care system, which Obama wanted Congress to approve by the end of the year. After much public debate during the Congressional summer recess of 2009, Obama delivered a speech to a joint session of Congress where he addressed concerns over his administration's proposals. In March 2010, Obama gave several speeches across the country to argue for the passage of health care reform. After Obama announced an executive order reinforcing the current law against spending federal funds for elective abortion services, the House passed the version of the bill previously passed on December 24, 2009, by a 60-vote supermajority in the Senate. The bill, which includes over 200 Republican amendments...
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...the late 1800’s, the United States attempted to develop a universal government-funded insurance for nearly a century. During this time, other developed countries had developed some form of a social insurance, that later developed into national insurance. In the United States, however, the government was not taking any action regarding provisions with health insurance; instead, the government was leaving laws regarding health insurance up to the individual states. During this time, there were o legislative or public programs to provide funding for healthcare. The first group to really push for health insurance was the American Association of Labor Legislation (AALL). The AALL formed a committee in 1912 based on social welfare, and held their first national conference in 1913. Their first drafted bill was completed in 1915, and it proposed limiting coverage to the working class and those earning less than $1200 a year, including dependents. (http://www.pnhp.org/facts/a-brief-history-universal-health-care-efforts-in-the-us). The bill included the services of physicians, nurses, and hospitals as well as sick pay, maternity benefits, and a death benefit. This initial bill of the AALL captured the intrigue of the American Medical Association, who then assigned physicians in support of the bill to help secure legislation. By 1916, the AALL and AMA were working together on this bill to initiate health insurance. However, the following year, many state medical societies began to...
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