Affordable Care Act

Medicaid expansion will expand care and insurance, low-income people had limited insurance before the expansion. Medicaid expansion insured more low-income people and expanded to vulnerable populations. Expanding Medicaid improves care for low-income groups who may get health care after Medicaid expansion. Financially secure low-income people. Analysis shows Medicaid expansions reduce uncompensated care costs this saves states money (American Public Health Association (2017). Economic growth and state revenue are likely. The funds support prevention programs, research, immunizations, and public health workforce recruitment. Funding includes tracking, surveillance, and tobacco prevention. 16 programs are funded. All states that have expanded Alzheimer's services receive grants. The community is informed about memory loss treatment. PPHF also manages chronic diseases. Chronically ill adults and seniors get money. Chronic patients can self-manage. State fall prevention is funded by prevention and health funds. The research will help vulnerable populations avoid falls. Fall-prone seniors are targeted. Prevention and public health funds prevent diseases.

Employer mandate aims to improve healthcare. Employers must provide health insurance or pay penalties, for improving health. The provision is harsh on employers, but it protects workers’ health. Full-timers need health insurance. Before providing health insurance, employers must let workers compare options. Affordable insurance should cover 95%. Children up to 26 are covered (Mason, Dickson, McLemore, & Perez, 2020). Not meeting coverage requirements carries penalties. Employers with 50+ full-time workers must follow the guideline. Full-timers work 30+ hours per week. Middle-income workers can't afford insurance. Affordable health insurance saves employees on premiums. Employees are likely to get health insurance for better access to care. Uninsured people get less medical care. Poor uninsured predominate. Employer-provided healthcare increases access and use. Insurers sometimes exclude pre-existing conditions, but no insurer can charge more for pre-existing conditions or refuse coverage under the ACA. The policy covers subscribers’ kids. Preexisting conditions are costly. Diabetes, hypertension, asthma, cancer, and HIV/AIDS are helped. This raises treatment costs, while patients' finances suffer without insurance.

                                                                                         References

American Public Health Association (2017). The future of the Affordable Care Act and Insurance Coverage. Retrieved from https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/full/10.2105/AJPH.2017.303665

Mason, D. J., Dickson, E., McLemore, M. R., & Perez, G. A. (2020). UNIT 1 Introduction to Policy and Politics in Nursing and Health Care. Policy & Politics in Nursing and Health    Care-E-Book, 1.