Commentary on Patient Protection and Affordability Act Usa

Commentary on Patient Protection and Affordability Act

On March 23, 2010 President Obama signed a bill that will forever change the lives of every American. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a bill that summons every American to have health care insurance no matter what the cost. Its goal is providing affordable insurance to 30 million uninsured Americans and reforming the National health care system. One of the reasons Congress is addressing this issue is due to the large about of uninsured Americans, and the burden that they are placing the heath care system. No matter if a person is in good health, ill, poor, or wealthy, everyone will have healthcare. With PPACA patients will no longer worry about "maxing" out on benefits. Other issues include the denial of individual based on preexisting conditions, and several other insurance company stipulations. Americans will also be required to receive preventive and wellness services, at no cost to them, but beware of anything free. According to the PPACA there will be a four tier system that Americans must choose from to determine the healthcare they receive. Depending on the system depends on insurance coverage and of course the cost. For those consumer's who cannot afford the premium, the government will help with a "subsidy" or the consumer will be placed on Medicaid. Healthcare Reform is not going to correct problems with the sick; it will only make them sicker.

Many Americans can't afford healthcare; therefore, health is put aside so that they can focus on what they believe are more important issues. Many Americans worry about feeding their families, and paying their necessity bills, often they have illnesses that are overlooked because they can't afford to seek medical attention. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 2.2 million Americans were added to the uninsured roll in 2006 (Johnson, 2008). The Healthcare Reform Act was designed for these Americans. This act assures these patients they will have healthcare, no matter of their inability to pay for it. At first glance, this act seems like the answer to many people's healthcare needs, in the future, it will create even more problems than the ones already at hand. Despite the government's inability to pay what insurance companies pay, the insurance companies will be forced to pay more for their patients; it will cause them in return to charge more for insurance. For example: a consumer has Medicaid and goes to see a physician and orders an X-ray, the bill will go to Medicaid and then Medicaid cuts what the doctor has charged by almost fifty percent. Now another patient comes in with private insurance, same X-ray that was ordered previously, this patient also receives. This particular bill goes to BC/BS where they will cut the cost of these test by about thirty percent. This means privately insured patients will have higher rates on premiums because they are charged more by doctors and in return the insurance company has to pay more. Even though insurance companies can only raise the cost of premiums by three percent of a person's income (Brownlee, page 52), this could make it so that some middle class Americans can no longer afford their own insurance policies, which will force them to also be covered under the PPACA. According to PPACA a consumer that is four hundred percent under poverty level will receive a subsidy by the government for assistance with insurance premiums but the consumer must choose one of the two tier programs (Healthcare gov.).

The Republican take on the issue is quite different approach on the repeal of the health care bill, as they are in favor of its repeal. After receiving a strict delegate mission in the 2010 mid-term Republican says that the health care hurts employers and cuts back on the amount of choices that consumer if the law is fully implemented. "Prof. Warren stated that: 'As part of a research study at Harvard University, our researchers interviewed 1,771 Americans in bankruptcy courts across the country. To our surprise, half said that illness or medical bills drove them to bankruptcy. So each year, 2 million Americans -- those who file and their dependents -- face the double disaster of illness and bankruptcy'. Warren also said that 'Every 30 seconds in the United States, someone files for bankruptcy in the aftermath of a serious health problem'. That adds up to well over 1 Million Americans that the study linked health issues with bankruptcy" (Robiscek, 2009).

It is this high cost of health care and lack of access for minorities discussed above that has pushed for one of the largest political endeavors regarding health care in years. With the upcoming Health Care Reform Bill 2010, the government plans on revamping the health care system to extend health insurance coverage, provide additional benefits for those on state funded programs, and make treatments more accessible. Also, with the recent passing of the Patient Protection and Affordability Act, becoming an advanced practice community nurse will become more of a reality for many nurses. With more advanced practice nurses in the workforce, healthcare will become more accessible to minorities who currently cannot afford treatment. Although PPACA has some strong points in trying to make healthcare better and more affordable, Americans should not accept the four tier exchange system. Bronze, silver, gold, and platinum, sounds like four different types of car models, but the government has placed insurance plans into these four categories. Let's take a look at the bronze package, basic model, which will provide the essential health benefits required by the government. With this package the insured pays an enormous forty percent out of pocket expense, that's each time they walk into see a doctor. "People who have been uninsured for at least six months and who have a preexisting condition will be eligible for subsidized coverage through a temporary national high-risk pool, to be established by the secretary in 2010. High-risk pools will not impose preexisting condition exclusions and plans will be required to cover on average no less than 65 percent of medical costs and to limit out-of-pocket spending to that which is defined for health savings accounts or $5,950 for individual policies and $11,900 for family policies"(The Commonwealth Fund, page 2) . Say the consumer goes to the doctor and the bill is $150. With this plan, it only cover's $90.00. That leaves the consumer to pay an additional $60.00 per doctor visit on top of co pay's and a monthly premium up to $5,950 (Washington Post, page 70). Americans cannot afford insurance premiums but the government is forcing consumers to pay monthly premiums and now forty percent out of pocket or be fined. There will be a fine to Americans that do not carry