Reference no: EM132908222

Problem 1: Discuss the changing landscape of the US healthcare system through the ACA and specific initiatives that have been funded, enacted and currently implemented to improve health care for all Americans.

• Since the Affordable Care Act became effective almost 11 years ago, many Americans have been at their healthiest for the first time ever. Before the ACA came along many healthcare organizations had to write off many unpaid bills each year, which were very high amounts. Many people have insurance now since this act has been in effect. Many people do not use the emergency room as their primary care because of this act, it allows parents to keep young college students on their insurance. In the past, people had to worry about being denied insurance because of preexisting conditions, but that is not something that is a concern these days. [Ten years ago this month, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law. Since then, the law has transformed the American health care system by expanding health coverage to 20 million Americans and saving a number of lives...and the law goes beyond coverage, requiring employers to provide breastfeeding mothers with breaks at work, making calorie counts more widely available in restaurants], (Rapfogel, Gee, & et al, 2020).
• This is an act that has many benefits for the American people. One of the downsides of the act, is if a person is not covered with insurance there lies a penalty for each month a person is not covered with insurance. This act has allowed many individuals to get coverage through Medicaid who would otherwise not get coverage on this program, as stated in the article by CHRT. "The ACA expanded coverage in 2014 through tax credits for private insurance and increasing eligibility for Medicaid", (CHRT, 2012). There is also a focus on prevention within the ACA. In expanding the act there must be a minimum amount of coverage a person needs to obtain then there is access to more healthcare preventive services.