Health Care Reform Essays (Examples)

Health Care eform ecommendations
Healthcare eforms and ObamaCare

The healthcare system in the United States is not a healthy system, but one fraught with problems which could cause a catastrophic failure. In order to prevent the collapse of the American healthcare system, for years experts have made recommendations in the hope that government officials would implement them. It was not until President Obama pushed through his healthcare bill, called the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" but generally referred to as "ObamaCare," that the government attempted to implement the many various recommendations put forward by the numerous expert groups. One group of experts on the American healthcare system, the American College of Physicians (ACP), has put forward a number of recommendations that they agree would be beneficial to the overall healthcare system. An examination of Obama Care" can demonstrate to what extent the new law fulfills the recommendations of this prestigious group.

The…

Healthcare eform
List and briefly describe 3 of the recommendations for health care reform made by experts

The Annals of Internal Medicine suggests one way to enable more uninsured Americans to afford health insurance is to explore the use of new "revenue sources, including but not limited to savings from capping the tax exclusion of employer-based health insurance, taxing tobacco, and redirecting existing health resources [which] should be mobilized to ensure coverage for all Americans" (Arrow et al. 2009).

To create a larger risk pool and to offset rising healthcare costs, the Annals recommends creating state or regional insurance exchanges to pool risk. "Exchanges in which insurance companies offer a standard benefits package with guaranteed issue, portability, and renewability and no exclusions for preexisting conditions can expand the offerings to small groups and persons at lower rates. Along with mandatory coverage for standard benefits, the exchanges must implement risk-adjusted payments to minimize adverse…

Healthcare Reform Initiatives in California
The citizens of California are fortunate to have one of the best healthcare systems in the United States. This paper reviews the laws and initiatives that relate to the healthcare coverage and facilities that are available to Californians. This state has led the way in progressive laws that give consumers the tools to stay as healthy as possible.

The Reform Initiatives in California

First of all, California was the first state to set up its health insurance exchange, which will begin enrolling people in the fall of 2013 for coverage in 2014. The federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) mandates that "health insurance exchanges" be established (by federal or state governments) and be ready to help consumers choose the right plan by 2014; these exchanges are "virtual marketplaces" where citizens can buy health insurance at "competitive prices" (Colliver, 2012, p. 2). The exchanges will receive federal subsidies but essentially…

Healthcare Debate
he United States Healthcare Debate

Healthcare is necessary for humanity's survival in the best conditions possible. Various countries across the world have different system, with most consisting of an institutionalized or socialist system. However, the United States stands almost unique in its privatized, corporate-oriented and often patient-neglecting healthcare system. Various leaders in our country's history have strived to change this, yet none have been as successful as President Obama, though reform still has a long way to go. However, the mere fact that leaders have fought so hard for healthcare reform proves just how important an issue it is, and how detrimental it will be for generations to come if individuals will have to pay excessive premiums. his paper will present two explanations, namely, the three recommendations of healthcare reform from various groups, as well as how the President has considered and how he will be considering them in the…

Health Care eform
Healthcare reform

Current national health care coverage component: Impact on young people (ages 18 to 26)

Historically, young adults have a greater likelihood of being uninsured than their older counterparts. They are just starting out in their careers, and often must take jobs with minimal benefits to secure a position. Because they are young and healthy, they may feel that purchasing health insurance is not worth the cost, or simply cannot afford it because of the expense of their costs of living and the need to pay off their student loans. The rate of uninsured young people was particularly high in the wake of the recent recession, given that many college graduates were forced to take substandard jobs or could not find work after graduation.

In light of this, one of the most popular components of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was allowing young people to remain on their parent's insurance…

Health Care eform
Policies, whatever their nature, constitute very significant aspects to the entities over which they are supposed to act upon. These principles, in their roles of guiding decision making and governing the outcomes of such processes are so vital, especially when properly adopted by the concerned parties. This aspect applies to both the private and the public sector, a case in point being the health care reform policy. Health care provision, all through the globe comprise of very sensitive factors and as such, the need for the adoption of policies which surrounds the activities associated with the field goes without saying. Likewise, proper procedures ought to be put in place with the views of ensuring that such policies are adequately adopted and that they serve the purposes which led to their adoption in the first place. Like all the major policies, most of which associate with the functions of…

The amendments have had practical impacts such as repealing the tax mandate of the employer, health insurance tax of small businesses and decreasing the burdens on individuals and businesses. The compliance cost for small business owners has risen by 36% higher than that of larger corporations. Similarly, the average U.S. citizen has already been overtaxed.
Since the passing of the Affordable Care Act, Americans have not enjoyed the benefits that come with it. While the country is characterized by a highly partisan political climate, the congress is full of voice of reason. These voices claim that the Act should be amended so that the pain can be reduced in the future. More policy makers have been encouraged to pull in their efforts. After years of the groundbreaking changes on the Care Act, one of the advantages associated with this law is that it supports a low rate of uninsured Americans.…

Healthcare eform evised
We know that the burden of diseases is increasing all over the world. The percentage of people suffering from diabetes, cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases has considerably increased in the last decade. It is noteworthy here that the importance of preventive care now comes at par with the importance of curative care. Considering the prevalence of diseases and the health status of the American population, President Obama introduced a health care reform that is known as the Affordable Care Act or Obama Care. The role of medical care as a determinant for health has not been established as a fact yet it has been proved that early intervention, preventive care and the required management can go on to reduce the severity and even cure chronic disease. Due to this reason, medical care does have a very crucial role to play in the health status of the population. (Bunker, Frazier…

Healthcare eform
"Simkins v. Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital"

The case of Simkins v. Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital was a case that attempted to end the segregation of African-American and Whites in the U.S. hospitals and medical professions as a whole. The case challenged the use of public funds to maintain and expand the segregated hospital care in the United States. Source of the laws related to the case are:

Title VII of the Civil ights Act of 1964,

The Hill-Burton Act (Hospital Survey and Construction Act) of 1946.

The executive, legislative and judicial branch of government played important roles in the case. The judicial branch of government interpreted the law and declared the case in favor of Simkins. The legislative branch of government passed the Civil ights Act of 1964 to end all form segregation in the United States while the executive branch of government implemented the Acts. The concept of the case…

There are a number of issues involved in health care including taxation, the fear of socialized medicine and the budget. Many Americans are opposed to higher taxes for the wealthy due to the fact that they will be the ones paying for most government spending including the proposed heath care bill. These people also argue that it's the wealthy that create jobs through investing and if their taxes are raised, there will be less investing and job creation.
As stated earlier, though Republicans believe that the American health care system needs reform, they feel that the best solution is not to hand it over to the government. The handing over of the health care system to the government has led to the fear of socialized medicine. The Republicans also believe that the American government is nearly bankrupt although the president has stated the proposed health care bill will reduce government…

In the U.S., administrative costs are 31% of health care costs, compared with 19% in Canada.
The proposed health care reform is also expected to improve health outcomes. By shifting some of the focus of the system away from maximizing shareholder value and towards improving health outcomes, Americans should live longer, have better access to care, see improved quality of life and have lower mortality rates for a number of diseases.

In addition to providing better health care, the reform plan will have several positive economic impacts. The Boston Globe calculation (Bilmes & Day, 2009) determined that life lost due to inadequate insurance cost the U.S. economy $140 billion per year, less than the cost of the Obama health care plan. In addition, the high cost of health care insurance is a competitive disadvantage for American companies. It is one of the reasons why tens of thousands of automobile manufacturing jobs…

Transparency empowers consumers to become better shoppers. Economists assert that transparency stimulates productivity, for example, in exchange for money, one individual obtaining fair value. In every aspect, except healthcare, Davis points out, transparency, is supported. The contemporary dearth of transparency in healthcare has led to many Americans not being able to effectively shop for the best quality of service at acute care hospitals. Davis argues that transparency permits consumers, particularly those uninsured individual, to know actual charges, as well as the quality of services they will received.
The critical issue in Health Care eform, according to some, Davis (2008) notes, is power. When consumers know less about the facts, those who do know possess the greater power. These with more power generally consist of "the hospitals, the insurers, and the healthcare policy makers" (Ibid., ¶ 14). Consumer-driven healthcare aims to switch the power to the consumer and the partnering provider…

As the sole owners of a license to practice medicine on which industries and other business entities build profits, they need to take solid steps to assert their rights. They listed strategies to put their situation and demands across to the current government. These strategies include a letter writing campaign, civil disobedience, a website for physician consensus, petitioning elected officials to take action on their concerns, email campaigns sent to the President and Congress, forming a physicians' union, refusing insurance and political games, and a one-day strike off their patients to draw attention to their objective (2009).
Summary and Viewpoints

A recent interactive survey showed that half of all American adults want the current healthcare system reformed (usiness Wire, 2010). The Institute of Medicine Committee likewise found that the system badly needed repairs (English, 2001). In addition to 13 recommendations and 10 rules, it sought a $1 billion innovation fund, a…

And, secondly, what's the rush? If this is so good for us and everyone understands the program, then what is the answer to those two questions?
The answers are, in order, because most Americans have no clue what the program is due to the fact that the menu changes so often and so quickly and all we get is sound bites. What's the rush? So politicians like Mr. Obama and Ms. Pelosi can get another notch on their belts.

Two thousand pages of health care legislation? Who could possibly understand it all? Or read it all? While Washington pols pile up trillions in debt, the American people are suffering through 10% unemployment which our children will have to pay for.

Yes, health care reform is needed -- modification of our current system to place more deserving people under the umbrella. Universal health care? ased on other countries' experiences, and our own government's…

Health care reform is a global and constant issue. Most communities are planning, preparing, implementing, legislating and assessing the health care reform as a policy improvement that is a continuous cycle. Globally, the objectives of health care reform are becoming familiar – controlling the growing costs, improving the quality of health care and increasing access to health care services. Universal Health Coverage
Universal health care coverage is a health care system which provides financial protection and health care services to every citizen within a country. It provides a package of benefits to everyone with the end goal being providing improved access to health care, reduced cost and improved outcomes of health. However, universal healthcare does not provide coverage for everyone for everything (Pineault, et al., 1993). It only implies that everyone is able to access healthcare. Some universal coverage systems are funded by the government while others are based on what the…

Health Care Reform and Equity The author of the “Health Care Reform and Equity: Promise, Pitfalls, and Prescriptions” article delves into the subject of the US’s failure to make desired progress within the past ten years. The ACA (Affordable Care Act) attempts at expanding insurance coverage for the yet-to-be-insured 23 million individuals in the nation, though it requires additional laws for doing so. Two key challenges hampering progress are addressed in the article: alignment of the nation’s healthcare resources with the requirements of patients and primary care revitalization, mainly for the underserved population (Fiscella, 2011). Gaps in healthcare service provision have been impeding progress towards more equitable healthcare. This article puts forward the following six interconnected domains: insurance cost and coverage related access, doctor salary modifications, strengthening of primary care, health IT improvements, better accountability, and disparity monitoring, and national quality adoption (Fiscella, 2011).
This paper will deal with how the system’s…

On the contrary, a comprehensive medical care solution that tackles the main issues driving up health care costs in America is possible. The main problem experienced by the average American is that health insurance premiums are cost prohibitive for the middle-class, but being uninsured can bankrupt a family forced to deal with even a minor catastrophic illness. Therefore, a national health insurance program has to be part of the solution. However, one cannot overlook the role that unpaid medical bills and exorbitant malpractice premiums also play in the modern healthcare crises. As a result, the solution must include a way to reduce malpractice premiums through tort reform, and a way to reduce the percentage of medical bills that go unpaid. The proposed three-prong approach would tackle all of those issues, without forcing any unwilling person to participate in a nationalized healthcare program.
orks Cited

American Tort Reform Association. "Medical Liability Reform."…

(Menzel, 1990, p. 3) Fisher, Berwick, & Davis alude to the idea of integration in health care, with providers linking as well as creating networks of electronic medical records and other cost improvement tactics.
The United States and other nations over the last twenty or so years, have begun a sweeping change in health care delivery, regarding the manner in which health information is input, stored and accessed. Computer use in the medical industry has greatly increased over the last thirty years the culmination of this is fully networked electronic medical record keeping. (Berner, Detmer, & Simborg, 2005, p. 3) the electronic medical record trend began in the largest institutions first, as hospitals and large care organizations attempted to reduce waste and improve patient care, while the adoption has been much slower among physician's practices and smaller medical institutions. (Hillestad, et al., 2005, pp. 1103-1104) Prior to this time medical…

As a result, millions of Americans remain unable to bear the heavy financial toll of medical expenses. Indeed, the problem of a lack of insurance for many is related to the problem of the cost of healthcare. So confirms the article by Consumer Reports (CR) (2008), which finds that "health-insurance premiums have grown faster than inflation or workers' earnings over the past decade, in parallel with the equally rapid rise in overall health costs. Industry spending on administrative and marketing costs, plus profits, consumes 12% of private-insurance premiums." (CR, 1) This reiterates the case that the undue imposition of costs by the healthcare industry -- a reflection of a free-market industry with little to no regulatory oversight -- has negatively impacted the accessibility and quality of healthcare for many of the poorest users.
Moreover, these users are most vulnerable to the long-term economic damages provoked by unexpected healthcare costs. So…

He further goes on to say that, "I am my brother's keeper and I am my sister's keeper" to bolster this point.
In a separate interview, epublican National Committee chairman Michael Steele refutes Obama's speech and maintained that Obama's call for healthcare reform as moral obligation is simply a "gimmick" and Obama's choice of going as far as this means that the White House is running scared as it needs to financially shore up its base.

The article closes on White House's denial that Obama is preparing to initiate a government-run "public option" for healthcare that will compete against private healthcare companies. As a matter of fact, Obama is working on the intensification of his healthcare reform call by reaching the channels of grass roots supporters via online and telephone meeting.

eference

Collinson, Stephen. "Obama makes moral case for health reform." 20 Aug. 2009. Yahoo! News.

9 Sept. 2009.

Contracts with doctors often contain a clause which doesn't allow the doctors to discuss
Health care 7 with their patients financial incentives to deny treatment or about treatments not covered by the plan (Glazer, 1996). This has caused many consumers, especially those with chronic illnesses, to form organizations with the American Medical Association and physician specialty groups to promote legislation forbidding "gag rules" (Glazer, 1996). One group, Citizen Action, has 3 million members and "has been lobbying in state legislatures for laws that would require plans to disclose how they pay their doctors; give patients the right to choose specialists outside the plan; and provide appeals for patients who get turned down for expensive treatments" (Glazer, 1996).

The doctor-patient relationship is also affected if a patient must switch to a new doctor under managed care. Having a longterm relationship with a primary doctor is important because he or she is more…

At the same time, 25% of Americans do not have any kind of health insurance coverage or not enough to pay for all of their expenses. (Amadeo) This can have an impact upon their financial well being, as a person must spend money that they do not have, to treat different conditions that could be life threatening. Once this begins to occur, is when the total number of bankruptcies will begin to rise sharply. As nearly half of all the filings that are made are: medical related, due to the overwhelming costs and the inability to pay them. (Amadeo) These different challenges are creating sudden shift in the economy that are: having short- and long-term impacts upon economic growth.
What is happening is rising health care costs are beginning to become a hidden tax on: businesses and consumers. As they are slowly eating away at any kind of added investments…

Healthcare Reform Models
Health Care Reform Models

Preventive Psychiatry

Shim and colleagues (2012) argue for taking advantage of provisions within the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 that emphasizes preventive and integrated care. They propose that the primary care setting is ideal for screening patients for signs of mental illness and associated risk factors. A mental health wellness program could also include coaches and other experts that interface with patients on an individual basis, including at the patient's home.

Long-Term Behavioral Health Care

Bao and colleagues (2012) examined four patient populations defined by disease severity and ability to pay, and then assessed how these four groups will fare under the behavioral health provisions in the ACA. Patients with private insurance and suffering from mild to moderate mental illness will probably receive the best care at a Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH). The authors suggest that the presence of comorbid conditions of sufficient severity…

overwhelming connections between healthcare costs and the macroeconomic performance of the U.S. economy. The impact of healthcare industry on the macroeconomic performance is evident from the fact that in 2009 healthcare expenditure of the U.S. was 18% of the gross domestic product (GDP) of the country. It was also estimated that should the healthcare costs continue to grow at historical rates, 34% of the U.S. GDP will compose of healthcare spending by 2040 (Whitehouse, 2009). The major sources of funding the healthcare costs are the Federal, State, and local governments of the U.S. Medicare is a healthcare program that subsidizes healthcare for citizens above 65 years of age. Medicaid subsidizes healthcare delivery for people below a certain income level. Approximately 50% of the healthcare expenditure is bore by governments at the federal, state and local level. It is also estimated that Medicare and Medicaid spending of Federal and State…

American Health Care
After leading the world in the health of its citizens throughout most of the 20th century, the United States has fallen behind virtually all other wealthy nations in that regard, not to mention having fallen behind several nations that once relied substantially on U.S. aid (Dykman, 2008). While most of the developed world has already embraced the concept of universal government-funded national health care systems, the U.S. still relies on a for-profit model that has proven to be incapable of meeting the health care needs of society in any manner that is efficient, cost-effective, and equally available to all members of society. Even worse, the ongoing political influence of lobbyists for the for-profit health insurance industry continues to succeed in undermining meaningful health care reform (Kennedy, 2006), including by watering down the historic Affordable Care Act that eventually passed into law in 2009. Finally, the available evidence…

Uninsured Population
Insurance Premiums

Budget Deficits

Healthcare Trends

Public Opinion

"Obamacare"

The topic of this research is "PPACA- Patient Protection an Affordable Care Act." PPACA has created a great impact in the healthcare industry of United States of America. The study is based on the critical analysis of the act by reviewing the performance since its inception.

Arguably the most prominent recent healthcare reform has been PPACA (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act). PPACA is also known as the Affordable care act and Obamacare. It was signed by the President Obama in the year 2010 in collaboration with the Healthcare econciliation Act. This act is considered to be one of the most major reforms passed in the healthcare system of United States; the last such major reform was passed in the year 1965 in the form of Medicaid.

When this provision Act was passed in 2010, there were 50 million uninsured people in the United States of…

Despite of the receipt of federal funding to assist in the set-up of an insurance exchange program, the Minnesota legislature is not cooperating with the Governor Drayton's plans to design a program. Instead, in a classic example of partisan politics, the legislature is going forward with its own plans to design an exchange program. In doing so, the legislature is placing the State of Minnesota in a position of possibly losing the grant provided by the federal government. According to the grant provisions, the state must show it can operate an effective exchange program by the end of calendar year 2012 or the federal government under the terms of ACA will impose a one size fits all exchange on the state. Even the state's most conservative political groups oppose this happening and advocate that the state's executive and legislative branches cooperate in formulating an acceptable state exchange program.

The effect of…

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
On March 23, 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care

Act (PPACA). This is more commonly referred among United States Citizens as Health Care eform.

This revolutionary law offers three main guarantees: First, health insurance for all American's, not just those who can afford it; Second, cost reduction in the insurance premiums for individuals and businesses; Lastly, higher quality care. On the surface, the PPACA seems all around beneficial for all

American's, but there are some aspects that need to be further analyzed. There is no doubt, this law will give those who are uninsured or under-insured, better coverage and ensure better quality health care, but there is one factor that may have been overlooked; the PPACA comes at great financial cost for citizens, will take a decade to fully implement and will be not be sustainable for generations to come.

The PPACA has…

4 million young people); e) Americans that are uninsured and that have "preexisting conditions" can as of now get insurance through the "Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Program" (PCIP); f) 46 states are using Affordable Care Act resources to "crack down on unreasonable premium increases" (hite House).
There are additional benefits that result from the Affordable Care Act will come into play in 2014, according to the hite House. Those include a new competitive insurance marketplace that will be established. In that new marketplace will be state-run health insurance exchanges where "million of Americans and small businesses will be able to purchase affordable coverage" and have the same healthcare choices as "Members of Congress," the hite House explains.

As to the federal fiscal benefits from the Affordable Care Act, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports that healthcare reform can reduce the national debt / deficit by $145 billion by 2019 and by $1.2 trillion…

Quality of Care: Healthcare eform
Health care reform legislation is expected to reduce health care spending by $590 billion over 10 years and lower premiums by nearly $2,000 per family by slowing the annual growth rate in national health expenditures. Discuss how this savings will be accomplished and what potential sacrifices in health care delivery may be experienced. Is the figure of $590 billion when calculated over a ten-year period really a significant savings?

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was designed to make healthcare more accessible to a wider array of Americans and also more equitable in its method of delivery. Some of its provisions included requiring all adults (with some hardship exemptions) to have healthcare or pay a penalty. The hope was that expanding the risk pool of young, healthy insured who might otherwise forgo coverage would support the costs of some of the other provisions of the bill, such as…

Evolution of Nursing oles in an Enlarged National Health Care System
The Affordable Care Act enables the provision of health insurance to 30 million people above the coverage figures prior to the enactment of the law. Because of this precipitous rise in the number of health insurance members, access to care as a function of the availability of primary care providers has been a leading issue in the transition to the nation-wide system of health care insurance. Public health models and nursing practice arrangements are changing in order to meet the immediate and anticipated care needs that have been brought to bear on the health care systems.

Public Health and Nurse Managed Health Centers (NMHCs)

From the earliest days of public health, the roles of nurses have been embedded in the social, educational, and political needs of communities. Health education has functioned as a springboard to community organizing, patient advocacy, and the…

Health Care Reform
FDR's New Deal and Lyndon Johnson's Great Society were early attempts for the United States government to play a broader role in creating more extensive social policies. More recently, when a recession pushed inflation to an all-time high, Ronald Reagan led a popular political campaign in which he pronounced that the federal government should have a smaller role in American society. He believed that socialism was an evil worth fighting. This sentiment undoubtedly caused the Clinton Presidency to fail when trying to enact a series of measures to reform Health Care. The debate has regained momentum with Obama who has enacted a health care reform bill known as the Affordable Care Act. Republicans who been vocal critics of the bill and have vowed to overturn in before its inception. This paper will introduce some of the economic mechanics that are responsible for fueling the debate.

Background on the Health…

Medicare Health Care eform
The Medicare is an American health program that is administered by the federal government and serves as a health insurance for people aged 65 years and above. The Medicare is also designed for people with disabilities and people diagnosed with the renal disease. (Davis, Cathy, & Stuart, 2013). The Medicare is currently being funded by the premiums, payroll tax, surtax from general revenue. In 2015, over 55 million American enrolled for the Medicare services where 46 million people are people aged 65 years and above and 9 million are young people. On the average, Medicare covers half of the health costs and the enrollees are to cover the remaining costs through a separate insurance, supplemental insurance, or out-of-pocket. Since the inception of the Medicare, the cost of funding the program continues to increase, and the rising costs of funding are becoming unbearable both for the current and…

Healthcare Economics
When considering the ever-changing and highly competitive economic landscape of the modern world; governments, businesses and institutions must remain diligent in their care and compassion for their citizens and staff members. With the current exponential growth and advancement of technology and the computerization of business and learning, voters, workers and consumers have become much more connected to the organizations they patronize (Kurzweil). Accordingly, these important groups are faced with the continuous task of finding new ways to understand and subsequently accommodate the needs of their followers, while simultaneously securing lucrative business models and job environments. One of the most important needs presented in all demographics is reliable healthcare. Thus, with the inelasticity in the demand for healthcare, countries need to determine an applicable system, whereby citizens can have access to the medical services they will inevitably need. Collective access to healthcare represents the main problem in field of healthcare…

healthcare reforms that have taken place in the past decade that have led to the re-evaluation of the quality as well as the cost effectiveness of health care providers. A specialty that has evolved with this trend is that of mental health/psychiatric advanced practice nurse. There is an increase in the number of the elderly people in society today. Depression is a common mental health condition in this age group. Age related psychological, physiological and social change have to be taken into consideration when it comes to making decisions that are related to pharmacological or psychological treatments that are to be implemented.in the article we can see that the common causes of mental health problems in the elderly are institutionalization, loss of friends and family, lack of support networks, decrease in hearing, vision and memory and so on.
The article highlights some of the benefits and risks electro conclusive therapy.one…

Health Care eform Effecting Public Health United States
Healthcare reform is an integral part of the United States healthcare system. Below is an evaluation of the effects healthcare reform has had on healthcare in the U.S. Internet sources as well as peer-reviewed journals will be looked at so as to see the effects.

The cost of healthcare has been on the rise. Issues of healthcare quality ought to be paid attention to and healthcare access equity improved upon (Health Care Transformation). Given these causes, while some differences exist on what reforms to carry out, a majority of Americans hold the belief that the U.S. Healthcare delivery systems need some improving. For a long time ANA has been advocating for reforms in healthcare and several of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) provisions are in line with the Health System eform Agenda of the ANA. The ANA gave a chart that gives information concerning…

U.S. Health Care Reforms
Objectives of reform of the health care system should align to improve quality, access and cost in health care. The intricacy of the health care system necessitates balancing the three variables while considering the individual's viewpoint. To achieve this equilibrium, health care programs ought to satisfy safety, actuarial and economic principles that should be under proper application and management for successful reforms. Evidently, there exist various problems within the system. These include poor price controls, over-insurance, lack of transparencies in health care cost and delivery, inappropriate actuarial risk classifications and improper safety net structures. This explication highlights health care reform principles and discusses incremental solutions for quandaries in the American health care system.

Economic Principles

Health care reforms ought to strive to encourage the fundamental economic principle of demand and supply. Over-insurance, increase of mandated benefits, control of prices, increased malpractice costs and dependence on third party payers are…

Obama's health care reform will make health care more accessible and more affordable and make insurers more accountable, as well as expand health care coverage to every American and make the health care system sustainable by stabilizing family budgets, the economy and the Federal budget.

The cost of Obama's overall health care bill will cost approximately $940 billion over 10 years, according to the Congressional udget Office. The bill will include that by the year 2014 there will be significant health access reforms. Insurers will be prohibited from denying coverage to people with medical problems of charging them more money (CS 2010).

While these numbers do sound manageable, Congress has not responded kindly to Obama's health care reform ideas. When Obama has even mentioned the idea of health care for illegal immigrants, the president was rudely interrupted by a heckler yelling, "you lie" ( ). Under Obama's proposal of health care reform,…

nytimes.com/2010/05/24/health/policy/24health.html?scp=6&sq=congress%20health%20care%20may%202010&st=cse http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/28/why-americans-hate-single-payer-insurance/?scp=7&sq=health%20care%20the%20single%20payer%20issue&st=cse
Peter Baker, "As Oil Slips Away, So Do Chances for Obama," New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/03/us/politics/03memo.html?scp=3&sq=obama health care plan&st=cse

Maybe for some things are well enough, but for most Americans they are far from it. Most Americans spend their days worrying about being just one layoff away from joining the 50 million other men, women and children in the ranks of the uninsured. The average household income in this country is just about $50,000. This means that most people are not in a position to pay a fourth of their family's annual income, before taxes, just to cover health insurance premiums. More and more people face paying thousands more of our hard earned dollars in out-of-pocket expenses before the coverage we pay so dearly for actually kicks in (ichard, 2009).
In the past many Americans who have been enrolled in employer-sponsored health insurance plans have been able to rely on their employers to pay the biggest share of the premiums, but the truth is that fewer and fewer Americans…

Thus, Congress and whoever drafts the plan, really has to figure out how to show the health care interests the reform will help, rather than hinder, their profits, or it simply will not occur.
The health care plan must also be feasible and able to stand the test of Congress, who have vetoed all health care reform legislation offered up to them in history. Congress can find something wrong with just about any health care reform, from how much it will cost to how it is administered, and that means that the legislation has to be foolproof and have the support of a majority of the Congress or it will not pass. That is quite clear from the current mess with the auto industry and the lack of Senate support for a bailout.

eferences

Oberlander, J. (2007). Learning from failure in health care reform. N Engl J. Med, 357(17), 1677-1679.

Oberlander, J. (2003).…

The ultimate House vote was two hundred and twenty to two hundred and seven. The senate vote was fifty three to forty three. The republicans were collectively opposed in both chambers (3 June 2010, 3).
The Future of the Health Care ill

Subsequent to disagreements as political enemies for more than a year, the Obama administration and the health insurance industry realized that they require one another.

oth have huge stakes in the success of the new health care law (14 May 2010, 1)

The political destiny of President Obama and Congressional Democrats rely on their capability to interpret it's assurance into realism for voters. This can be attained by restraining health expenses and making insurance accessible to everybody at reasonable price. Similarly, the fiscal future, in fact the continued existence, of the health insurance industry relies on the government. That is on set of laws being written by federal officers and on…

In Canada, a much higher percentage of the population lives in remote areas whereas covered healthcare services are often concentrated in large cities (eid, 2009).
Medicare Expansion and Mandatory Health Insurance Issues and Concerns

From the perspective of middle and upper middle income families in the U.S., the expansion of Medicare and the mandatory provision of healthcare by employers would be a tremendous benefit. From the employers' perspective, the associated costs could be prohibitive. Mandatory requirements for individuals could be problematic for those at the lower end of the group income spectrum; however, it would be no less fair than the current situation that forces everyone who pays for healthcare to (in effect) subsidize those who choose not to (Kennedy, 2006). In all likelihood, the only way to make mandatory health insurance work would include expanding Medicare, at least to compete with private health insurers. Naturally, this interferes with their profits,…

Effects on Current Position

With "The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act," many healthcare professionals are affected (Democratic Policy Committee, n.d.). Nationwide, hospitals are scrambling to buy hospitals in an effort to control costs. Doctors are leaving small private practices. Large insurance companies are becoming more dominant as smaller ones disappear because they cannot stay competitive (New York Times, 2011). Furthermore, epublicans denounced the law as an intrusion by the government that would prompt employers to eliminate jobs, create an unsustainable entitlement program, saddle states and the federal government with unmanageable costs, and interfere with the doctor-patient relationship. As a result, the law would exacerbate the steep rise in the cost of medical services, thus affecting the elimination of many healthcare positions. Ironically, less healthcare professionals will ensue, but an increase in patient care will be needed, as a result in more people becoming insured.

Challenges & Opportunities

Moreover, many are concerned with…

AMEICA'S HEALTHCAE EFOM
Your Chosen Title

The overhauling of America's Health Care Systems has been a highly debated topic because it affects the quality of life, of virtually all residents living in America. A large portion of America's budget is spent on the healthcare system, however many Americans live day-to-day without healthcare coverage or medical insurance. It is surprising to know that although Americas has one of the strongest economies in the world, it lacks in this area. This resonates in the minds of many troubled Americans, who find themselves in serious economic problems due to their inability to provide healthcare coverage for themselves and their family.

Members of government and of the political arena understand that a demand exists, this demands is one that calls for healthcare coverage for all in America. In March 2010 congress responded to this demanded passed what is known as The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,…

Unintended Consequences of Health Care Reform
Consequences of Health Care Reform

My discussion is related to the individual mandate of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) of 2010.

The policy problems addressed by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) of 2010 are the high cost of health insurance that is untenable for low and middle income earners and the discretionary criteria for enrollment and coverage exercised by medical and health insurance carriers. The PPACA is an excellent policy solution to these issues in the United States and, absent socialized medicine, is a robust response to what has been an intractable and escalating problem in the U.S. Many people who have unable to obtain medical insurance are now able to do so.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was designed to significantly reduce the number of people who are uninsured through the provision of a continuum of affordable coverage options,…

nytimes.com/2009/02/01/business/01unbox.html accessed June 5, 2010
Holstein, William. "A Drug Maker's Views of What Ails Health Care." New York Times, September 8, 2007 [online] http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/08/business/08interview.html accessed June 5, 2010

Pear, Robert. "At a House Party on Health Care." New York Times, December 22, 2008 [online] http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/23/health/23health.html accessed June 5, 2010

Pear, Robert. "Democrats Woo Abortion Foes." New York Times, March 19, 2010 [online] http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/20/us/politics/20health.html accessed June 5, 2010

Rabin, Roni. "ig Gains for Young People." New York Times, May 24, 2010 [online] http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/25/health/25land.html accessed June 5, 2010

Sack, Kevin. "usiness Group Joins Suit on Health Law." New York Times, May 14, 2010 [online] http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/15/health/policy/15lawsuit.html accessed June 5, 2010

Urbina, Ian. "ig Insurance Rate Increase for Pennsylvania Poor." New York Times, March 16, 2010 [online] http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/17/health/policy/17penn.html accessed June5, 2010

End Notes

"Health Care Reform." New York Times, March 26, 2010 [online] http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/diseasesconditionsandhealthtopics/health_insurance_and_managed_care/health_care_reform/index.html?scp=1-spot&sq=health%20care%20reform&st=cse accessed June 5, 2010

Ibid

Holstein, William. "A Drug Maker's Views of What Ails Health Care." New York Times, September…

. .] a sure recipe for a second wave of financial disaster" (Segal, 2010), has an overall nonpartisan tone. Instead of focusing on the controversy between the parties, Segal, like Balassa, draws attention to facts. He discusses the vast amount of bankruptcies declared every year in the U.S. As a direct result of health-care costs (Segal, 2010).
The most conservative, and by far the largest publication, in the region is the Denver Post; it too sees the issues surrounding of health-care reform apolitically. Turning away from slander and political infighting, the article "Health Care eform Bill Cuts Deficit," by obert Pear and David Herzenhorn, discusses what they believe to be the basic concern of the health-care bill as it stands today: the cost to the consumer (2010). Their primary consideration is that the health-care reform bill currently under consideration does little to ease the financial burden of the insured (Pear…

Second, the fact that medical costs are billed to health insurance companies is responsible for an industry-wide culture of financial irresponsibility where little concern is given to avoiding unnecessary or duplicated costs of healthcare services (Kennedy, 2006; eid, 2009). Unfortunately, political opposition to healthcare reform throughout 2009 made it impossible for the Obama administration to achieve this essential goal but it is likely that the current system cannot be sustained without bankrupting the nation.

One of the main reasons that there is so much political opposition to meaningful healthcare reform in the U.S. is precisely because current laws permit excessive influence by special interest groups in Washington (Kennedy, 2006; eid, 2009). Specifically, the private for-profit health insurance industry alone accounts for as many as 5 industry lobbyists per elected government legislator in Washington. By pledging financial support to political campaigns in return for opposition to any legislative reforms that could threaten…

The first phase, implemented in 2010, provides immediate access to a high-risk insurance pools for individuals excluded from healthcare coverage because of pre-existing conditions; it also allows children to remain covered under their parents' insurance plans until the age of 26 and provides tax credits to small employers that give their employees health insurance (Tumulty, Pickert, & Park, 2010). The second phase begins in 2011 and will require private health insurance companies to spend at least 80% of premiums on healthcare services; in 2013, Medicare payroll taxes will increase on the wealthiest individuals and families to enable that program to overcome the aby oomer problem (Tumulty, Pickert, & Park, 2010). In 2014, most Americans will be required to obtain health insurance to reduce the collective cost of treating the uninsured (Tumulty, Pickert, & Park, 2010).
Unfortunately the primary reason that healthcare reform was not able to incorporate more wide-sweeping reforms…

Media and Health Policy Processes
There is no doubt that politics plays a crucial role in healthcare legislation and reforms in the United States. After all, the U.S. Congress passes laws, and so automatically any proposed legislation is passes or fails due to how political representatives act on the law. Professor Thomas Oliver (John Hopkins University) makes that point abundantly clear in his scholarly article. This paper references Oliver's article and a peer-reviewed piece in the journal Economics, Management, and Financial Markets (Boubacar, 2006).

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

It should be noted that when Barack Obama ran for election among his major points was the need to reform healthcare policies in America -- and the need to create new laws and policies. He was elected by a wide margin and he set out to develop legislation that could bring meaningful reform and could provide insurance for an estimated 40 million…

The United States is relatively unique in the world community for offering healthcare through a variety of employer-provided and government insurance systems. While most US citizens obtain healthcare via their employers, others have health insurance via a variety of government-provided programs such as Medicaid or Medicare. Still others purchase their insurance from health insurance companies themselves because they do not receive employer coverage and are unable to qualify for Medicaid. This suggests that cooperation between insurance companies, providers, and the government is necessary to improve delivery, reduce costs, and expand access to all patients.
One of the first presidents to attempt to orchestrate broad-sweeping healthcare reform, Bill Clinton, recently underlined the need to embark upon reform in a collective and unified effort. “The former president called on attendees to embrace evidence-based medicine as a means to bend healthcare\'s cost curves and lauded Medicaid expansion as a means to keep health plan…

Thereby we can conclude if their support or lack thereof for healthcare reform is based on understanding of facts, or is being shaped by other factors, ostensibly the information being made public by politically affiliated media and elected officials in support of one party or the other.
The Survey: Healthcare eform

I voted for President Obama

YES

NO

Didn't Vote

I support healthcare reform

YES

NO

No Opinion

I have health insurance or Government Program

YES

NO

Don't Know

I have Medicare

YES

NO

Don't Know

I have Medicaid

YES

NO

Don't Know

I have CHAMP/VA

YES

NO

Don't Know

I have TICAE

YES

NO

Don't Know

I have group benefit insurance

YES

NO

Don't Know

I have private health insurance

YES

NO

Don't Know

The Health Insurance Privacy

And Portability Act applies to me

YES

NO

Don't Know

The Employee etirement Income

Security Act applies to me

YES

NO

Don't Know

I have an insurance deductible

YES

NO

Don't Know

I have no insurance deductible

YES

NO

Don't Know

I have an out of pocket expense on Doctor visits

YES

NO

Don't Know

I have a copay expense on Doctor visits

YES

NO

Don't Know

I have an in network and out of Network benefit level

YES

NO

Don't Know

I have paid higher out of…

payer healthcare systems: Pros and cons
One of the most controversial concepts in American health care is the idea of single-payer health insurance, or the notion that healthcare will be supported by taxpayer dollars, versus funded by private insurance companies. In many Western industrialized nations such as the United Kingdom and Canada, the concept of single payer-health insurance is the norm and embraced by the majority of the population. In the United States, the rhetoric of socialism and state support has caused people to fear the concept. Even the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was painted by some aspects of the media as a move towards a single-payer system because it exerted somewhat greater control over individual's health-related choices, such as mandating that all American citizens have health insurance. However, the ACA was far from socialized medicine given that it continued to ensure that the majority of Americans not on Medicaid…

Ethical Challenges in the Era of Health Care eforms-By Vicki D. Lachman.
The article is brief look at the reforms that are involved in the Affordable care Act (ACA) as far as patient protection is concerned in the fields of insurance cost, insurance choices, the people aged 65 years and over and rights and protection of the beneficiaries of the healthcare reforms. Writer highlights the provision of the comprehensive health cover as one that provides affordable insurance exchanges through which the individuals as well as small businesses can purchase insurance through these exchanges, and organizations or business that have more than 50 employees need to avail insurance. It also highlights the consumer operated and oriented cover plan which works well for the covered individuals. The reforms are also highlighted as giving hope to people with pre-existing conditions. Further discussed is the fact that young adults can be covered in the cover…

F. The uninsured are increasingly using the ED for their non-emergency needs.

III. The effects of emergency room overcrowding can be deadly.

A. Boarding patients, or keeping already treated or stabilized patients in the ED, prevents patients from receiving the inpatient care they need.

B. Long wait times and inefficient service can mean loss of life

IV. Possible solutions demand health care system overhaul.

A. More efficient hospital registration would streamline emergency room procedures.

B. Standing orders would allow nurses and EMTs to proceed on critical care without doctors.

C. Special fast-track and sub-waiting areas would alleviate hallway overcrowding.

D. Re-budgeting will allocate more funds to emergency admissions.

E. Reducing non-urgent visits via universal healthcare initiative would reduce unnecessary use of the emergency room.

F. Increasing hospital capacity for acute inpatient needs would replace boarding.

G. Hospitals can add support staff during critical hours.

The Effects and Implications of Legislation on Health Care eformAlthough the health care network in the United States is heavily privatized and reforms have historically been in response to changes in demand and the need for greater efficiencies in the delivery of medical services, federal and state laws also exert a significant influence on health care reform. The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the literature concerning the role of legislation in health care reform and its effect on health care costs. In addition, an analysis concerning how doctors of nursing practice-prepared leaders can develop strategies to advocate for just and ethical practices in healthcare policy and healthcare delivery systems. Finally, the paper provides a summary of the findings that emerged from the research in the conclusion.The ole and Effect of Legislation in Health Care eformThe health care system in the United States has historically been…

Health Care
In the wake on new and very contentious health care reform, many firms have undergone extensive transformations. These transformations have been predicated on both cost control and quality management. In particular quality management has had a profound impact on the underlying business operations of many health care firms. For one, firms are now finding methods in which to enhance the overall patient experience while also mitigating potential loses due to negligent means. The focus on quality management has also made firms more efficient in regards to the overall delivery of service. In particular, my firm has done extensive work with reducing elderly accidents within the facility. This quality management initiative has not only reduced costs associated with accidents, but it also has enhanced the trust and patient experience of all stakeholders within the firm (Kelly, 2011).

Identify the milestone you chose in the history of quality improvement in the first…

Human esources
Healthcare

Strategic human resource management:

Applications in a healthcare organization

It has been said that one of the great ironies of healthcare is that despite the fact it is an industry where the 'human' dimension is so important, the H department is often one of the most-overlooked aspects of healthcare organizations. "There is arguably no other labor-intensive industry that is so reliant upon a highly skilled, highly educated, high-cost, and high-in-demand workforce that literally makes life-or-death decisions every day. And yet, in many hospitals and health systems H remains an afterthought in the C-suite" (Commins 2013:1). However, the need for change is constant, and many organizations are finding they must 'adapt or die,' given the new realities they are facing. "by the federal healthcare law, the inevitable and growing shortages of skilled healthcare professionals, and the newfound and measurable importance of patient satisfaction scores for reimbursements will prompt a reassessment of H…

Each of these was included in the initial Senate bill, but was struck from the final Senate version. Despite the victories, the group isn't ready to pledge support for health reform bills. The AMA will not endorse any legislation unless Congress gets rid of the mandated payment cuts of more than $200 billion over 10 years in the government's Medicare program for the elderly. The cuts are part of Congressional action that was passed in 1997 in order to cut costs in the Medicare program, but have never gone into effect. There are also several hospitals, insurers, pharmaceutical manufacturers and advocacy groups that are withholding final support. Most of these groups have pledged support to health care reform in principle while working privately through lobbyists to protect their industries (Eaton and Pell, 2010).
Healthcare lobbyists range from very large companies and corporations to very small groups who are all looking…