Introduction
The US President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) into law on March 23, 2010. Commonly known as the Obama Care, it represents a major regulatory revamp of the US healthcare system. The ACA has various provisions that pertain to the improvement of the US healthcare system. The Act seeks to ease access to medical cover and patient safety. It also aims at the provision of healthcare services at reasonable prices, especially to underprivileged Americans.
The Nine Titles of the ACA
The nine Titles of the ACA are stated below.
- Quality, affordable healthcare for all Americans
- The role of public programs
- Improving the quality and efficiency of healthcare
- Prevention of chronic disease and improving public health
- Healthcare workforce
- Transparency and program integrity
- Improving access to innovative medical therapies
- Community living assistance services and supports
- Revenue provisions
A Brief Overview of the Nine Titles of ACA
An emerging need to ease access to healthcare services led to the enactment of the ACA. The nine titles address specific reform undertakings with a view of achieving a common agenda. Title I elaborates on quality and affordable healthcare for all Americans. Its main objective is to increase healthcare insurance to as many people as possible whilst eliminating discriminatory practices. Title II covers the role of public programs in expanding eligibility for Medicaid with a view of meeting the needs of low-income earners through simplified enrolment to Medicaid. Title III addresses the improvement of the quality of healthcare (Shaw, Asomugha, Conway, & Rein, 2014). It assures improved provision of services to those people who are covered by Medicaid and Medicare. Title IV contains information on the prevention of chronic diseases. Its main objective is to ensure the improvement of public health through the adoption of modernized disease deterrence systems. Title V reveals that the clinical workforce will support innovative efforts in the healthcare system through education and training. Title VI addresses transparency and program integrity (Shaw et al., 2014). It seeks to ensure that integrity is upheld in public health programs to combat fraud. Title VII highlights the need to access innovative medical therapies and licensing of reference products. Title VIII provides information on community assistance services. Lastly, Title IX addresses matters that pertain to revenue provisions.
Quality, Affordable Healthcare for All Americans
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act are set to transform health insurance in the US through shared responsibility. Engagement of a large percentage of the citizens will result in the realization of superior healthcare reforms without altering the cost of insurance cover (US Department of Health & Human Services, 2010).
However, the changes comprise various methods. They include immediate improvements to prohibit rescissions of health insurance and eliminate lifetime and/or unreasonable annual limits on benefits. The ACA is geared towards the elimination of discriminative provision of medical services among American citizens. As a result, all citizens will gain equal access to healthcare benefits.
The Role of Public Programs
The primary objective of the Act is to ensure that people with disabilities and the minority groups gain access to Medicaid. The law provides enhanced federal support to the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) through simplification of the Medicaid program and registration. Furthermore, the ACA ensures proper coordination of the Medicaid program in an attempt to offer quality delivery of clinical services. The public programs will also ensure simplified enrolment, community first choice option, disproportionate share hospital allotments, and lastly yet importantly, establish dual eligibility coverage and payment coordination.
Improving the Quality and Efficiency of Healthcare
In midst of augmenting medical prices and prevalence of diseases, the Act seeks to improve patient experience by ensuring that healthcare institutions offer worthwhile services. However, this strategy will demand the application of robust approaches such as modern medical technology in healthcare delivery (Rasmussen, Collins, Doty, & Beutel, 2014). Reduction of medical fees will ensure increased access to Medicare services.
Prevention of Chronic Disease and Improving Public Health
According to the US Department of Health & Human Services (2010), the reformed healthcare system will emphasize on provision of insurance benefits to all Americans, especially to those people with chronic illnesses. In this case, the Act will serve as promotion strategy to health of the citizens. Developing healthy communities will be precedence, and a new generation health infrastructure will support this goal (US Department of Health & Human Services, 2010).
Healthcare Workforce
Title V emphasizes on establishment a robust healthcare workforce. It also seeks to inaugurate a new workforce commission to promote clinical learning and recruitment of healthcare specialists. Provisions will help to increase the supply of healthcare through embracing vibrant strategies (Rasmussen et al., 2014).
Transparency and Program Integrity
Integrity of federally financed and sponsored health programs is vital. This title creates a need to provide new information about the health system to the public. It also promotes a revitalized set of requirements to fight fraud and abuse in both public and private programs (US Department of Health & Human Services, 2010).
Improving Access to Innovative Medical Therapies
Title VII seeks to promote licensing of biological products that will be available at reasonable discounts. This strategy will be an advantage to low-income earners. Production and dissemination of generic drugs will also reduce the prices significantly.
Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act
According to the US Department of Health & Human Services (2010), this section of the ACA seeks to establish an alternative method where incapacitated Americans will be able to cater for long-term medication fee. Through the Class Independence Benefit Plan (CIBP), diverse individuals within the US society will enjoy supple benefits through longstanding support services. However, this provision does not involve the use of taxpayer’s money to settle healthcare debts.
Revenue Provisions
Under Title IX, the Act seeks to make medical services reasonably priced for underprivileged families and small enterprises. This Title applies to self-insured plans that are available in the group market, and not to plans that are sold in the individual market. However, it applies to self-employed individuals who are eligible for the deductions (US Department of Health & Human Services, 2010).
Conclusion
The Affordable Care Act looks forward to seeing an equitable healthcare system in the US. Most importantly, it seeks to reduce per capita spending on healthcare. The provisions majorly focus on ensuring an improved percentage of the insured population in the country. Preventive measures are also been considered in the ACA. Proper implementation of the ACA will keep the US at par with other competitive healthcare programs such as the Universal Healthcare system of France.
Reference List
Rasmussen, P., Collins, S., Doty, M., & Beutel, S. (2014). Are Americans finding affordable coverage in the health insurance marketplaces? Results from the Commonwealth Fund Affordable Care Act Tracking Survey. Issue Brief (Commonwealth Fund), 25(1), 1-15.
Shaw, F., Asomugha, C., Conway, P., & Rein, A. (2014). The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: opportunities for prevention and public health. Lancet, 384(9937), 75-82.
US Department of Health & Human Services, 2010. The Affordable Care Act, Section by Section. Web.