Introduction
Although medical bills are the leading cause of all financial issues in the United States, the Affordable Care Act of 2010 minimizes bankruptcies, especially among the uninsured. Unlike other developed nations, the United States does not have a comprehensive and unified healthcare system, even though it spends more on healthcare per person than any other sector. The absence of coordination, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness adversely affect various fundamental healthcare concerns, including affordability, access, and quality. Over the years, healthcare has been an extraordinary election concern in the United States, with contenders promising to overhaul and reform the system to favor a unified and affordable design. One of the most effective policies has been the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) due to its ability to address inequalities, reduce healthcare barriers, and minimize financial anxiety. The article “Obamacare: An Unheralded Success” supports this perspective by enumerating the act’s life-changing differences. While the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act does not consolidate America’s healthcare system, it plays an integral role in addressing inequalities and expanding public coverage.
Summary
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was President Obama’s signature policy intended to increase Americans’ access to medical services by enhancing the affordability and availability of health insurance. Michael Cohen, the article’s author, highlights that the lack of health insurance impeded accessibility of health services for the uninsured and underinsured before the implementation of the ACA. People had to make high out-of-pocket payments for medical care and prescription drugs. Consequently, these uninsured people could not meet the exorbitant costs levied on needed care.
Before the enactment of the ACA, the rate of uninsured was higher for Hispanics and Blacks at 30.7% and 20.8%, respectively (Wilensky & Teitelbaum, 2019). However, ACA’s implementation decreased the national health insurance coverage from 16.3% in 2010 to 8.8% in 2017 (Wilensky & Teitelbaum, 2019). According to Cohen (2016), people who had been previously excluded from insurance plans for various reasons could now benefit from ACA services regardless of their financial position. For example, following the ACA’s enactment, a clinic in Los Angeles recorded a surge in the number of patients arriving for cancer screenings, tobacco cessation therapy, and controlled hypertension (Cohen, 2016). Therefore, expanded health insurance coverage increased the accessibility of healthcare.
ACA aimed to enhance healthcare affordability for everyone by subsidizing health insurance costs for those who could not afford it. Affordable health insurance meant greater accessibility and tangible benefits. Cohen (2016) claims that most Americans’ medical debt covered by Medicaid has been significantly reduced by between $600 to $1,000 per individual. The author argues that the most significant impact of the ACA was felt in Americans’ pockets, as it eliminated the psychological and financial implications of medical debts.
Previously, the uninsured were at a greater risk of bankruptcy from medical debts, which is America’s leading cause of financial ruin (Cohen, 2016). People who had to offset substantial medical care and prescription drugs’ costs would fall behind on other financial obligations. This potentially led to numerous severe consequences, such as evictions, repossessions, obtaining credit at exorbitant rates, and living with extreme economic anxiety. For instance, Medicaid expansion in Oregon virtually eliminated debilitating medical expenses, reduced financial hardship incidences, and recorded a 30% decline in the uninsured suffering from depression (Cohen, 2016). Although not perfect, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is arguably one of the successful laws in narrowing income inequality, reducing financial anxiety, saving lives, and enhancing Americans’ economic security.
Comparison with Today’s Healthcare Trends
The article provides essential information concerning healthcare services’ affordability and accessibility by subsidizing health insurance, and it describes today’s healthcare trends. Numerous attempts have been made to improve healthcare and address the politically influenced public policy system. Healthcare has undergone material changes that share a close resemblance to ACA. Cohen (2016) imagines a situation where the act could increase medical coverage. It includes multiple states passing laws that make it easier for individuals to benefit from higher minimum wage, paid family and sick leave, and improved childcare support. For instance, the District of Columbia, alongside the other 40 states, now requires health insurers to provide expanded coverage that encompasses telehealth (Bajowala et al., 2020). The concept is in line with the ACA’s primary aim of expanding healthcare coverage and minimizing disparities, especially in rural communities adversely affected by low proximity to local medical facilities and healthcare providers. Overall, the author envisions the advancement of the various provisions of ACA by exploring cost containment, improving healthcare access, and delivering quality care.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was a revolutionary law that tremendously transformed America’s healthcare system. The escalating costs of healthcare had impeded the accessibility and affordability of healthcare. The act’s primary objective was to reverse this trend by ensuring health insurance was affordable, particularly to low-income earners and individuals with pre-existing conditions. The article credits the impact of ACA on the American people and envisions expanding services to narrow the rich-poor gap even further. Although beset with various challenges and flaws, the law has reduced financial anxiety and saved lives. Conclusively, a joint approach in the formulation and implementation of public policies is all that is needed to bring life-changing differences to the people.
References
Bajowala, S. S., Milosch, J., & Bansal, C. (2020). Telemedicine pays: Billing and coding update. Current Allergy and Asthma Reports, 20, 60.
Cohen, M. (2016). Obamacare: An unheralded success. Boston Globe.
Wilensky, S. E., & Teitelbaum, J. B. (2019). Essentials of health policy and law (4th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.