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In the U.S there have been various attempts in the promotion of the reforms in the health care sector over many years. This year 2010, the Obama administration has been able to enact the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act even after a raucous republican opposition an exercise that is considered a great historic achievement. The Act is viewed to be groundbreaking because it concentrates much on consumer protection, the vital role where the employer is supposed to provide indemnity coverage and the regimes role in the provision of access of the health care services especially to the vulnerable populations in the U.S. Therefore, this discussion is inclusive of the current status of the Act as well as the main issues in the Act that continues to pose a spur debate (Sultz & Young, 2010).
To start with, the Act has succeeded in the removal of financial barriers that are experienced in the preventive care unit. In reverence to the pre-existing conditions, the Act also bars any rejection in the insurance policy while at the same time it prohibits the coverage restrictions which are emphasized on life insurance or the cancellation as a result of any serious illness. Medical coverage has been expanded to the vulnerable population that is non-Medicare entitled and those that are below 65 years of age. It has also promoted the establishment of exchanges in health to the individuals as well as the small employers thus enabling them to provide information to the consumers; the information helps the consumers in choosing among different alternatives policies in the health insurance. Currently, the net cost estimated for the Act is about 938 U.S dollars by the Budget Office.
Even though the enactment of the Act was considered to be a great achievement, there are some main issues that have continued to spur debate concerning the same. The debate is based on the healthcare structure in which during the enactment of the Act, the most considered upsetting health problems are said to have been overlooked. This has in turn promoted huge disparities in the outcomes among different populations in America. The Act obligates individuals to obtain their own health insurance which has risen a serious debate on the same where some of the opposing groups have planned ballot referendums in the attempts of determining whether the general public can decline to comply with the already enacted Act form of legislation (National Association of Social Workers, 2010).
Inflation in health care has been an issue for a long time that has continued to be a challenge in the health care unit even now. It is also a challenge to the supporters of the Act on the possibility of reducing inflation. The opponents still hold their stand on the increment of the inflation and therefore, they pose a debate on the capability of the inflation reduction following the already enacted Act. Cost-cutting requirements of the Act also create a debate on the possibilities of Medicare being undermined.
Freedom is also a major concern that cannot be overlooked in the Act. The Act expands the regimes authority that happens to infringe freedom as it requires the contribution of all citizens so as to cater to everyones health through paying taxes. This is an unconstitutional mandate as some people are against paying taxes that would afterward fund abortion. Mental health in the Act has also raised a lot of concerns. The Act gives a go-ahead on the provision of services to non-public amenities being a trial case as the funding would come from Medicaid. This seems like a means to relieve the mental health budget but the resources would be channeled to out-patient services in reverence to mental health. The Act has also raised some political concerns with the non-credibility of enactment. After the enactment of the Act, there were around 10 polls that were conducted whereas many did not seem to support the bill. Issues like reduction of age for the qualifications were at the same time not enacted.
In conclusion, efforts to promote universal coverage are said to be achievable through the already enacted Act. Consequently, if this Act is weakened these efforts would be undermined at the same time and the capacity that remains as the entire welfare on America thus, the reformer would generally be weakened. However, implementation procedures remain a challenge as there is already an ongoing debate regarding the wisdom to be presented by the measures which are supposed to be put into place. The Act is said to represent a bittersweet moment to the populace (National Association of Social Workers, 2010).
References
National Association of Social Workers. (2010). The patient protection and affordable care act, cost control, and the battle for health care reform. Web.
Sultz, H. A., & Young, K. M. (2010). Health Care USA: Understanding Its Organization and Delivery. New York: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
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