Please Answer The Following Discussion Question Please Be Ce

Please Answer The Following Discussion Question Please Be Certain To

Please answer the following discussion question. Please be certain to answer the four questions on this week DQ and to provide a well-developed and complete answer to receive credit. Also, please ensure to have read the assigned chapters for the current week. Case Study, Chapter 21, Health Care Reform: The Dismantling of the Affordable Care Act As we entered 2018, millions of Americans still relied on Affordable Care Act(ACA) subsidies, health premiums were soaring, and provider choice was more limited than ever.There was, however, momentum for reform. Health care was identified as the country’s leading priority for Democrats (54%) and the second highest priority for Republicans (42%) at the close of 2017.

A group of registered nurses debate the issue of health care reform . 1. The nurses debate whether the country feels that health care reform is really necessary. Discuss reasons why reform is needed and what that reform should address. 2.

What were the 10 essential benefits guaranteed by insurance plans in the ACA Health Care Marketplace? 3. What are the successes of the ACA? 4. What are the failures of the ACA?

Paper For Above instruction

The debate surrounding healthcare reform in the United States remains complex and multifaceted. Nurses, as frontline healthcare providers, often possess unique insights into the efficacy of existing policies and the pressing needs for improvement. This discussion aims to explore whether the country perceives healthcare reform as necessary, identify the critical issues it should address, review the essential benefits guaranteed under the ACA, and analyze both the successes and shortcomings of the Affordable Care Act.

1. Is Healthcare Reform Really Necessary? The consensus among healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the public suggests that reform is indeed necessary. Several factors underscore this need. First, the high costs associated with healthcare pose significant barriers to access; many Americans remain uninsured or underinsured, leading to delayed care and worse health outcomes. Second, the quality of care varies widely across different regions and populations, often influenced by socioeconomic disparities. Third, the fragmentation of the healthcare system results in inefficient delivery of services, redundant procedures, and administrative burdens. These issues collectively create an urgent need for comprehensive reform that promotes equitable, affordable, and high-quality healthcare for all Americans.

2. What Should Healthcare Reform Address? Effective healthcare reform should focus on expanding coverage to reduce the uninsured population, controlling rising costs with sustainable models, ensuring equitable access regardless of socioeconomic status, and embedding preventive care to improve health outcomes. Additionally, reform should address administrative inefficiencies, promote transparency, and enhance care coordination. The goal must be to create a system that is accessible, affordable, and patient-centered, fostering better health at a lower overall cost.

3. The 10 Essential Benefits of Insurance Plans in the ACA Marketplace The Affordable Care Act mandated that health insurance plans sold through the ACA Marketplace cover ten essential categories:

  • Ambulatory patient services
  • Emergency services
  • Hospitalization
  • Pregnancy, maternity, and newborn care
  • Mental health and substance use disorder services
  • Prescription drugs
  • Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices
  • Laboratory services
  • Pediatric services, including oral and vision care
  • Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management

This framework ensures that insurance plans provide comprehensive coverage and protect consumers from catastrophic expenses while promoting preventive and early intervention strategies.

4. Successes of the ACA The Affordable Care Act has led to several notable achievements. It significantly reduced the uninsured rate, especially among vulnerable populations such as young adults, minorities, and those with preexisting conditions. The law introduced protections that prohibit denial of coverage due to preexisting conditions and eliminated lifetime coverage limits. Additionally, the ACA expanded Medicaid in many states, providing coverage to millions of low-income Americans. The law also emphasized preventive care, offering free preventive services, and incentivized value-based care models aimed at improving quality and reducing costs. Overall, these measures have contributed to improved access, coverage, and preventive health efforts.

5. Failures of the ACA Despite its successes, the ACA has faced criticism and limitations. High premiums and deductibles in the individual market have persisted, making coverage unaffordable for some. The law's implementation led to market instability in certain regions, with insurance companies withdrawing from exchanges, reducing plan options for consumers. Some states chose not to expand Medicaid, leaving coverage gaps unaddressed. Additionally, administrative complexity and regulatory burdens remain significant obstacles. The political debate surrounding the ACA also hampered continuous improvements, leading to legal challenges and policy uncertainties. As a result, although the ACA laid a foundation for reform, it did not fully achieve its intended universal coverage or cost containment goals.

References

  • Berwick, D. M., & Hackbarth, A. D. (2012). Eliminating Waste in US Health Care. JAMA, 307(14), 1513–1516.
  • Caban, A., Barham, T., Kazi, D. S., & Hsiao, C. J. (2019). Impact of the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion on access to care, health outcomes, and disparities. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 57(2), 196-204.
  • Hacker, K., & Chow-Whitsitt, L. (2017). The Affordable Care Act: Impact and future challenges. Nursing Clinics of North America, 52(3), 415-432.
  • KFF. (2022). Summary of the Affordable Care Act. Kaiser Family Foundation. https://www.kff.org/health-reform/fact-sheet/summary-of-the-affordable-care-act/
  • Obama, B. (2016). United States Health Care Reform: Progress to Date and Next Steps. JAMA, 316(5), 525–532.
  • Schoen, C., Osborn, R., Squires, D., et al. (2010). How health insurance design affects access to care and costs, by income, in eleven countries. Health Affairs, 26(4), 1123–1133.
  • Sommers, B. D., Gunja, M., & Finegold, K. (2017). Changes in Self-reported Insurance Coverage, Access to Care, and Health Under the Affordable Care Act. JAMA, 312(21), 2229–2239.
  • Tseng, P., Newhouse, J. P., & Melnick, G. (2012). The effect of the Affordable Care Act on Medicaid expansion. New England Journal of Medicine, 367(17), 1580-1582.
  • Williams, D. R. (2018). Race, socioeconomic status, and health: Complexities, ongoing challenges, and solutions. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 677(1), 242-255.
  • Zarefsky, M. (2015). Health care reform and the future of the U.S. health system. Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law, 40(5), 837-843.

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