The affordable care act adopted in April 2013 demands that all US citizens should be insured. Qualifying health coverage is also another requirement under the individuals’ mandate. In the case of non-Medicare eligible individuals, the same coverage is also expected to be extended to them (Tanner, 2013). The program also aims to enhance buying of insurance through exchanges for premium credits. Families and individuals who are eligible are also expected to benefit from cost-sharing subsidies. The Act equally seeks to expand the workforce in the healthcare setting in order to cater to the growing number of patients at any given time.
The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 came into being in order to rectify the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. One of the amendments injected in the legislation was an increment of medical payment levels advanced to primary care doctors. Other aspects addressed in the amendment included student loan reform, tax avoidance, tax credits for purchasing insurance, minimizing special deals for senators, and discount for branded drugs (Beavers, 2010).
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act presents a number of implications for advanced nursing practice. To begin with, it is crucial to mention that any category of healthcare reform is beneficial to nurses. In the case of this Act, both the general nurse education and advanced nursing practice benefit from the money provided by this piece of legislation (Tanner, 2013). The demonstration model is also a major gain for advanced nursing practice. According to this Act, grant programs are supposed to be created so that nurses can improve their skills and competence while delivering healthcare services to patients. This implies that innovative safety programs can be swiftly established. Therefore, health clinics that are managed by nurses can be put in place courtesy of the Act.
As it stands now, family physicians are not adequate in number. On the other hand, there is a stable growth in the nurse practitioner programs. Afthe ter adoption of the law, sufficient financial resources are available to operate and maintain clinics that are managed by nurses. Before adopting the new law, nurse practitioners mainly relied on private funding and struggle a lot to remain relevant in the delivery of care services to patients. It is now possible for them to gain access to real money.
For nurses with advanced education, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will offer immense opportunities. Those with higher degrees or baccalaureates can gain a lot from the provisions of this law. Once primary care services have been improved, even the advanced nurse practitioners can elevate their level of healthcare delivery to patients. In addition, millions of people will be insured as a result of this healthcare Act (Beavers, 2010). The latter scenario will consequently lead to effective and efficient service delivery to healthcare recipients especially, among low-income earners.
Finally, primary care will involve few physicians while the delivery of basic care will be possible through different approaches due to the Act. Although millions of people will be in a vantage position to seek healthcare services in the hospitals of their choice thereby leading to congestion, the situation will trigger additional employment opportunities in the advanced nursing practice. Since primary care services are required in all segments of society, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will create additional opportunities for advanced practice nursing. In other terms, this type of nursing practice will hardly lack vibrant terms and conditions of working.
References
Beavers, J. (2010). Health care reform adds new taxes. The Tax Adviser, 41(5), 359- 362,364.
Tanner, M. (2013). The patient protection and affordable care act: A dissenting opinion. Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 34(1), 3-15.