Current Healthcare Situation

Introduction

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as health care reform or the Patient's Bill of Rights, was signed into law by President Barack Obama in March 2010. The act is set to be implemented on January 1, 2014, this act would open insurance up to Americans who otherwise would not be able to afford insurance and allow those that have insurance a better alternative. Another proposed goal is to expand the access of health care to Americans while working to reduce risks and costs associated. The Affordable Care Act has many implementations and details. I have chosen to discuss only a few of the major points in which the most Americans seemed to be affected.

Implementations and Impact

Although the act has been in place over two years, there are more changes set to come in the following years. A major change implemented was forcing insurance companies to cover those with pre-existing conditions. A pre-existing condition means an illness or condition they had prior to wanting to begin coverage. Previously to the act, a person could be denied coverage because of possessing an illness that essentially would cost the insurance companies money because of the beneficiaries high risk. This burden has been lifted and no matter what health care status a person is in, he or she is guaranteed coverage. This implementation allows more than "30,000 Americans coverage who could not receive coverage by private insurance companies" (Sebelius, 2012, p. 1).

The Afford Care Act has also managed to redirect the focus of health care more on prevention rather than curing. I support this idea fully as it can reduce greatly costs for Americans in the long run because office visits and hospital bills certainly are not inexpensive. New insurance plans are required to cover preventative services for adults such as immunizations, cholesterol and diabetes screenings, HIV testing, and many others, benefiting as many as "41 million Americans this year" (Sebelius, 2012, p. 2.). There are also preventative services covered for children, seniors, and those with disabilities. With no co-payment or premium payment to have these services performed, more people are apt to be proactive in their health without the financial burden associated.

As a young adult, I have benefited personally from the Affordable Care Act. Beginning in 2011, young adults up to the age of 26, were allowed to remain covered under their parent's insurance. The number of uninsured Americans is a significant problem in the United States, and with this implementation, nearly "one million young adults have gained health insurance" (Sebelius, 2012, p. 1). I think the younger generation definitely suffers significantly concerning affording health care insurance. Many are recent high school or college graduates that are just beginning to establish themselves in society. Health care coverage is usually not a top necessity for most young adults. Fortunately, the new act protects young adults