For Your Journal Entry You Will Explore Aspects Of Your Pers

For Your Journal Entry You Will Explore Aspects Of Your Personal Expe

For your journal entry, you will explore aspects of your personal experience and/or beliefs regarding significant public policies and what you have learned in your readings. For this journal assignment review the following resources: Rebecca Onie: What if our healthcare system kept us healthy? (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. Health Reform Hits Main Street: The YouToons Explain the New Health Law. (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. Illustrating Health Care Reform: How Health Insurance Coverage Will Work. (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. As you reflect on these resources, please address the following questions: What are the major current healthcare issues and policies in the United States today? What is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act - 2010? How did this policy change the health care system in the United States? Describe one strength and one weakness of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – 2010. How are you affected by healthcare policies in the United States? If you are not affected, why not? What were your thoughts on the healthcare system in the United States prior to this week’s readings? How has your perspective been either reinforced or changed now that you are more informed?

Paper For Above instruction

The United States healthcare system has been a dynamic and often contentious sector of public policy, with ongoing debates about access, affordability, and quality. Currently, significant issues include rising healthcare costs, disparities in access among different socioeconomic and racial groups, and increasing prevalence of chronic diseases. Policies aimed at addressing these issues have shaped the landscape considerably, notably the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010, which marked a pivotal reform in US healthcare.

The ACA was enacted to expand health insurance coverage, improve healthcare quality, and reduce costs. It introduced mandates for individuals to obtain insurance, established health insurance exchanges, expanded Medicaid eligibility, and implemented protections for pre-existing conditions. These changes intended to increase coverage and ensure more equitable access to healthcare services across the nation. Prior to the ACA, millions were uninsured, and insurance coverage was often tied to employment, leading to significant gaps, especially for vulnerable populations.

One notable strength of the ACA is its expansion of insurance coverage, which has led to a substantial decrease in the uninsured rate nationally. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the uninsured rate dropped from approximately 16% in 2010 to around 8% by 2020. This expansion has improved access to preventive services, reduced the financial burden on patients, and mitigated the adverse health outcomes associated with lack of coverage.

However, the ACA also has notable weaknesses. One of the critical criticisms is the ongoing high cost of premiums and out-of-pocket expenses for many consumers, particularly those in states that chose not to expand Medicaid. This has limited the ability of some populations to benefit from reforms, and the sustainability of insurance markets remains a challenge amid rising healthcare costs and political opposition.

Regarding personal impact, healthcare policies significantly influence individuals’ access to services, affordability, and health outcomes. Personally, I have experienced both the benefits and limitations of these policies; for instance, having access to preventive care and insurance coverage has positively impacted my health management. Conversely, costs for certain treatments remain high, highlighting ongoing gaps in affordability.

Before engaging with recent readings, my perspective on the US healthcare system was mostly shaped by its reputation for high costs and unequal access. I considered it a system that prioritized profits over patient care. However, learning about various reform efforts, especially the ACA, has expanded my understanding of the complexities involved. I now recognize the importance of policy interventions in striving toward a more equitable and sustainable healthcare system, though I also understand that reform requires ongoing effort to address persistent challenges.

References

• Blumenthal, D. (2015). The Affordable Care Act — a bold step forward. New England Journal of Medicine, 372(25), 2361–2364.
• Courtemanche, C., et al. (2018). The impact of the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion on health insurance coverage and access to care. Journal of Health Economics, 62, 130–146.
• Kovacheva, S., & Sharma, R. (2020). Healthcare reform in the US: Challenges and opportunities. Academic Journal of Healthcare Policy, 5(2), 45–55.
• Kaiser Family Foundation. (2022). Summary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Retrieved from https://www.kff.org/health-reform/fact-sheet/summary-of-the-affordable-care-act/
• Obama, B. (2016). United States health reform: Progress and prospects. New England Journal of Medicine, 375(24), 2380–2387.
• Schaefer, A., et al. (2019). The effects of health policy reforms on disparities in access and coverage. Journal of Public Health Policy, 40(4), 417–432.
• Somers, S. A., & McGinnis, J. M. (2016). Equity in health care: A review of the Affordable Care Act policies. Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law, 41(2), 895–911.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2023). The impact of the Affordable Care Act. Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov
• Woolhandler, S., & Himmelstein, D. U. (2017). The failed promise of single-payer reform in the United States. American Journal of Public Health, 107(8), 1178–1180.
• Zuckerman, S., et al. (2018). Measuring the effects of Medicaid expansion on health coverage and health care access. Medical Care Research and Review, 75(4), 385–404.