The Affordable Care Act
Describe the features of the Affordable Care Act and explain how it will control costs and improve quality of care from the perspective of a cultural, economic, and ethnically diverse society. What are the limits of the Act? As an advanced practice nurse, what policy changes would you recommend to provide health coverage to those who remain uninsured? What effects does this act have on providers and consumers?
Use at least 3 peer reviewed citations
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Introduction:
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law in 2010 and aimed to provide healthcare coverage to all Americans. As a result, there have been major changes in the healthcare system. This answer will describe the features of ACA and its impact on controlling costs and improving quality of care in a culturally, economically, and ethnically diverse society. The limitations of the Act will also be discussed, along with policy recommendations to provide health coverage for those who remain uninsured, and the impact on providers and consumers.
Features of the Affordable Care Act:
The ACA includes a range of features designed to control healthcare costs and improve the quality of care in the United States. The Act aims to provide healthcare access to all Americans, prevent discrimination in health insurance coverage, and create more efficient healthcare systems. Depending on income, the ACA provides subsidies and tax credits for purchasing health insurance. It also prohibits insurance companies from denying coverage or charging more based on pre-existing conditions.
Controlling Healthcare Costs:
One of the main goals of ACA was to decrease the cost of providing health care services to individuals. This was accomplished through the expansion of Medicaid, the creation of health insurance exchanges, and the introduction of new taxes on high-income earners. The ACA’s preventive care measures – such as immunizations, cancer screenings, and annual checkups – are now covered without any out-of-pocket costs. The Act has also implemented quality measures for hospitals and providers and increased funding for research on cost-effective care.
Improving Quality of Care:
The ACA aims to improve the quality of care through several initiatives, including the creation of a Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to promote innovative payment and service delivery models. The ACA has also introduced a shared savings model, Accountable Care Organizations(AOCs). Quality measures include patient satisfaction, safety measures, and readmission rates. The ACA has also made efforts to reduce medical errors and improve patient outcomes through electronic health records, standardization of data and measurement, and increasing funding for research.
Limitations of the Act:
However, with all these features and efforts, the ACA has limitations. The ACA does not cover all of the population, and some individuals remain uninsured. The Act also does not address the rising cost of prescription drugs. The Act also does not fully address disparities in healthcare access, as access still remains low in some areas.
Policy Changes to Provide Health Coverage to Those who Remain Uninsured:
As an advanced practice nurse, some policy changes that could provide health coverage to those who remain uninsured include providing subsidies to expand Medicaid, granting greater flexibility for states to tailor health insurance coverage, and reinstituting the individual mandate to optimize a broad and even distribution of those covered.
Effects on Providers and Consumers:
The ACA has many direct and indirect effects on healthcare providers and consumers. Providers have to comply with higher quality of care standards, and also experience challenges in treating a more diverse population. Consumers now have increased access to preventive health services and are not denied health insurance based on pre-existing conditions. However, they may face higher insurance premiums and deductibles.
Conclusion:
The ACA is a comprehensive health care law that has brought significant changes to the healthcare system in the United States. Its many features have aimed at reducing healthcare costs and improving the quality of care provided, while also addressing healthcare access disparities in a culturally, economically, and ethnically diverse society. There are limitations to the ACA, but policies can be recommended to improve coverage. Overall, the ACA has had significant effects on both providers and consumers.
