Victoria Scheepers Monday Dec 11 At 12:41 Am: What Were The

Victoria Scheepersmondaydec 11 At 1241amwhat Were The Goals For Affor

The assignment explores the goals of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, enacted by President Barack Obama in March 2010. It examines the primary objectives of the ACA, evaluates its success in achieving these goals, and considers the future of health reform. Additionally, it incorporates a biblical perspective on healthcare and social responsibility.

The core goals of the ACA were to overhaul the health insurance market, expand Medicaid for lower-income populations, and modify healthcare decision-making processes. A central aim was to significantly reduce the number of uninsured Americans by providing affordable coverage through Medicaid expansion and health insurance exchanges (Silvers, 2013; Shi & Singh, 2023). The law sought to improve healthcare access and affordability, ensure coverage protections, and promote health equity.

Evaluating the success of the ACA reveals mixed outcomes. On one hand, it has achieved substantial progress in expanding insurance coverage, improving data management, and reducing some barriers to access. For instance, the law ended the practice of denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions, a significant advancement for health equity (Shi & Singh, 2023). The Medicaid expansion allowed millions of low-income Americans to gain coverage, and the establishment of health insurance marketplaces provided more options for consumers.

However, the ACA has not fully achieved other critical goals, such as controlling healthcare costs and consistently improving quality of care. Healthcare costs continue to rise, driven by technological advancements and increased utilization, which have outpaced the growth of the economy (Schiavone & Ferretti, 2021). Prior to the ACA, insurers relied heavily on medical underwriting to determine eligibility and premiums, often resulting in coverage denials or exclusions (National Academies Press, 2018). The law aimed to address these issues, but cost containment remains an ongoing challenge, and many Americans still face high out-of-pocket expenses.

Recent developments under the Biden administration have emphasized continues efforts to fulfill the ACA’s original goals. These include expanding access, reducing costs, and addressing disparities. The Biden administration's policies have focused on expanding Medicaid further, increasing subsidies, and improving healthcare infrastructure (Shi & Singh, 2023). Despite these efforts, rising healthcare costs due to inflation and technological integration threaten the sustainability of reforms (Schiavone & Ferretti, 2021).

The future of health reform appears complex and uncertain, heavily influenced by economic shifts and societal factors. Rising healthcare costs necessitate balancing the needs of aging populations requiring acute care and younger populations requiring outpatient and preventive services. An effective reform strategy must address issues such as rising costs, healthcare disparities, and technological disparities (Schiavone & Ferretti, 2021). The unpredictability of economic conditions, employment stability, and income levels underscores the importance of adaptable policy solutions.

Economic instability, as exemplified during the COVID-19 pandemic, revealed vulnerabilities in healthcare coverage due to job losses and employer-based insurance dependency (Shi & Singh, 2023). Thus, a sustainable reform path involves reducing overall healthcare costs while ensuring coverage equity through innovative payment models and policy adjustments rooted in socioeconomic realities.

Biblical Integration and Ethical Reflection

From a biblical perspective, the principles of compassion, justice, and caregiving align closely with the objectives of healthcare reform. Scriptures such as 1 Timothy 5:8 emphasize the importance of providing for one’s family, which parallels ensuring healthcare coverage for dependents up to age 26. Matthew 10:8 highlights the Christian duty to heal the sick and care for those in need, akin to protections against coverage cancellations due to diagnoses or illnesses (New International Version).

These biblical principles underscore the moral obligation to serve others, particularly the vulnerable populations that healthcare reforms aim to support. Christians are called to reflect God’s love through acts of service, which extends to advocating for policies that promote equitable access to healthcare and reduce disparities. While laws and reforms may be contested, aligning healthcare initiatives with biblical values of compassion and justice underscores the moral responsibility to care for all individuals.

In conclusion, the ACA aimed to expand healthcare access, reduce uninsured rates, and promote equity. While it has succeeded in these areas, challenges remain in cost control and quality enhancement. The future of healthcare reform will depend on addressing economic and technological challenges responsibly, guided by ethical and biblical principles of caring for our neighbors. Such an approach fosters a healthcare system rooted in justice, compassion, and respect for human dignity.

References

• Schiavone, F., & Ferretti, M. (2021). The FutureS of healthcare. Futures, 134, 102849.
• Shi, L., & Singh, D. A. (2023). Essentials of the U.S. health care system (6th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning, p. 279.
• Silvers, J. B. (2013). The Affordable Care Act: objectives and likely results in an imperfect world. Annals of Family Medicine, 11(5), 402-405.
• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2018). Health-Care utilization as a proxy in disability determination. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.