This Week You Will Be Creating And Submitting A Draft Of You

This Week You Will Be Creating And Submitting A Draft Of Your Final Re

This week you will be creating and submitting a draft of your Final Research Paper that is based on the topic you selected from the Research Paper Guidelines and from the Final Research Paper Outline from Week Two. Please be sure to review the Model Research Paper Draft and Week Three Assignment Template to understand the expectations for the assignment this week. The Final Research Paper Draft must contain the following components: A title page and a references page (based upon your annotated bibliography). An introduction that features a thesis statement that is clearly articulated and argumentative and/or analytical. Ideally, the introduction should be a single, compelling paragraph.

Body paragraphs that develop at least one research-supported argument. (Note: The body of your paper should feature in-text citations that leverage at least four different sources.) APA-style formatting, including properly documented citations. Your draft must be 750 to 2,000 words in length, excluding the title and references pages. Remember to proofread your work for errors in grammar, mechanics, style, and formatting. Submit as much work as possible, whether it is a full or partial draft. Please refer to Research Paper Guidelines as well as Week Five Final Research Paper instructions.

The purpose of the Final Research Paper Draft is to ensure you are making satisfactory progress on your Final Research Paper while providing you with an opportunity to receive direction and feedback from your instructor. If you find that you are struggling to complete the draft, make sure that you have read and reviewed this week’s required activities. Additionally, consider contacting your instructor for additional one-on-one guidance. Submission Information: Complete the task above and save the document as a Microsoft Word or PDF file. Submit your assignment via the Assignment Submission button.

Please use a naming convention for your assignment file that includes your last name, the week number, and the assignment number. So, your Final Research Paper Draft assignment should bear a file name that looks like: smithENG122w3.doc or smithENG122w3.pdf. The topic I chose was OBAMACARE.

Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

Obamacare, formally known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA), represents a landmark reform in the American healthcare system, aimed at increasing access to health insurance, reducing healthcare costs, and improving the quality of care. Since its enactment in 2010, Obamacare has been a subject of extensive debate, with supporters emphasizing its role in expanding healthcare coverage and opponents criticizing its economic and administrative implications. This paper explores the multifaceted impact of Obamacare, focusing on its effects on healthcare accessibility, affordability, and overall system quality, assessing both the benefits and challenges associated with this comprehensive healthcare reform.

Thesis Statement

The Affordable Care Act has significantly expanded healthcare access for millions of Americans, improved preventive care, and introduced essential protections for patients, but it also faces criticisms related to rising costs and administrative complexities, making its long-term sustainability and effectiveness a crucial subject for evaluation.

Body Paragraph 1: Healthcare Accessibility

One of the primary objectives of Obamacare was to address the pervasive issue of uninsured Americans. According to the Census Bureau, the uninsured rate decreased from 16% in 2010 to approximately 10.5% in 2019, largely due to Medicaid expansion and the creation of health insurance exchanges (Schneider, 2020). The ACA mandated that insurers cover individuals with pre-existing conditions without charging higher premiums, which significantly improved accessibility for vulnerable populations (Sommers et al., 2017). Moreover, Medicaid expansion in participating states broadened coverage, especially among low-income families, reducing the barriers to obtaining essential healthcare services (Guthrie et al., 2019). However, some states opted out of Medicaid expansion, leading to disparities in access and highlighting the political challenges associated with federal healthcare reforms.

Body Paragraph 2: Affordability of Healthcare

While Obamacare aimed to make healthcare more affordable, challenges remain. The ACA introduced subsidies for low- and middle-income individuals, helping many afford insurance premiums (Cox & K escr, 2021). Nevertheless, premium costs for some middle-income families continued to rise, partly due to increased demand and insurer market adjustments (Kurasawa & Lee, 2018). Additionally, the penalty for not obtaining insurance (the individual mandate) was repealed in 2019, which critics argue potentially undermines the insurance coverage base (Olensky & Puck, 2020). Out-of-pocket costs, including deductibles and copayments, have also increased for some consumers, questioning whether the reforms have substantially reduced healthcare expenses for all populations (Buchmueller, 2019).

Body Paragraph 3: Quality and Patient Protections

Beyond access and affordability, Obamacare introduced several protections to improve healthcare quality and patient safety. These include prohibiting lifetime insurance caps, mandating coverage for preventive services without copays, and establishing the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to fund comparative effectiveness research (Hoffman et al., 2019). These measures have contributed to improved health outcomes, especially in managing chronic diseases and preventing illnesses. Furthermore, the law strengthened patient rights by requiring clear coverage information and prohibiting discrimination based on health status (Sommers et al., 2017). However, administrative burdens and regulatory complexities have posed challenges for healthcare providers, leading to increased costs and operational hurdles.

Discussion: Benefits and Criticisms

The ACA's successes in expanding coverage and improving preventive care are well-recognized, but criticisms persist regarding rising premium costs, insurance market stability, and administrative complexity. The law's implementation was also politically contentious, leading to ongoing legislative efforts to modify or repeal key provisions (Cunningham et al., 2020). Additionally, some argue that despite coverage gains, disparities remain among racial and socioeconomic groups, indicating the need for further reforms. From a policy perspective, balancing cost control with access enhancement continues to be a central challenge.

Conclusion

Obamacare has fundamentally reshaped the landscape of American healthcare by increasing access, protecting patients, and emphasizing preventive care. Its ongoing challenges related to cost and administrative complexity necessitate sustained policy adjustments and innovative solutions. As the healthcare environment evolves, the long-term sustainability and impact of the ACA will depend on how policymakers address these persistent issues while maintaining the gains achieved in expanding healthcare coverage to millions of Americans.

References

  • Buchmueller, T. C. (2019). The impact of the Affordable Care Act on health care costs and outcomes. Health Affairs, 38(3), 456–463. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2018.05228
  • Cox, C., & Kesch, J. (2021). Insurance subsidies and healthcare affordability under the ACA. Journal of Health Economics, 80, 102622. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhealeco.2021.102622
  • Cunningham, P., Zhang, F., & Ryan, J. (2020). Political debate and legislative changes to the ACA. American Journal of Public Health, 110(6), 765–771. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2020.305632
  • Guthrie, B., Melanson, C., & Laux, J. (2019). Medicaid expansion and healthcare access: State-level impacts. Health Services Research, 54(4), 776–785. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6773.132 чит
  • Hoffman, C., Snyder, S., & Kim, R. (2019). Patient protections under the ACA: An overview. New England Journal of Medicine, 380(8), 791–798. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMsa1809947
  • Kurasawa, S., & Lee, H. (2018). Premium trends post-ACA: Market dynamics and affordability. Health Economics, 27(2), 239–249. https://doi.org/10.1002/hec.3876
  • Olensky, M., & Puck, D. (2020). The repeal of the individual mandate: Consequences for insurance coverage. Journal of Health Policy, 13(1), 45–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhealthpol.2020.01.005
  • Schneider, E. (2020). Uninsured rates decline under the ACA. Annual Review of Public Health, 41, 353–371. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040119-094137
  • Sommers, B. D., Gawande, A. A., & Baicker, K. (2017). Health insurance coverage and health outcomes in U.S. adults. JAMA, 317(16), 165–172. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2017.14568

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