Patient Protection and Affordable Act 23 (Essay Sample)

Patient Protection and Affordable Act
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The PPACA which is also otherwise known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or more famously as Obamacare is a federal statute in the United States that was signed into a law by the current president of the United States Barack Obama. This act is perhaps one of the most influential health care Act since the 1965 Medicare and Medicaid act that made health care for the elderly affordable. The main aim of the act was to improve the cost and quality of health insurance and decrease the number of people who are uninsured by expansion of the insurance coverage in both the public sector and private sector and by subsidising the cost of medical care for citizens. The act applied the use of mechanisms such as insurance exchanged, mandates and subsidies which were tailored to increase the amount of coverage.
According to information from the Congressional Budget Office, the PPCA act has already been paid for in full. The act will provide medical coverage for 94% or more of American and still manage to stay below the $900 billion mark that was established by President Barack Obama. The act will significantly reduce the deficit of health care cost over the coming ten years.
Health care organizations need to brace themselves since this health care act will have severe repercussions in the system. The effect will be felt differently among the various stake holders who include the patients, the health care providers which include individuals such as doctors and nurses. The act will also affect the health organizations programs and its operational budget.
Patients
According to the act, all Americans must take part in the insurance or will be liable to fines. This has been done in order for the government to be able to implement systematic market reforms which are designed to solve problems caused by discrimination occurring due to factors such as pre-existing condition exclusions. Health care organizations need to educate their customers on the actual provisions of the act in order for them to be in total compliance with it. Patients need to be aware why all of them must pay for the act or be liable to legal action in order for them to be co-orperative.
Health care providers
Health care providers include individuals such doctors, nurses and the staff that work at a hospital. For the case of organisations that have more than 200 health care providers, they must automatically enrol them for full time employee coverage a new. An employer who has 50 employees or more who are working fulltime and has at least a single full time employee who is getting a premium assistance tax credit must make a contribution of $750 .Employers who have 50 employees or more and are offering coverage which is seen as unaffordable and or has lower standards according to the minimum standard for essential coverage , but has one full time employee who is receiving the premium assistance tax credit will have to pay at least $3000 for each individual employee who is receiving $750. This article has been introduced in the act in order to protect employees from unfair employers but also to give employers a chance to breathe when it comes to payment of insurance. Health organisations need to start adjusting their payment of insurance to their employees ensuring that they comply with these new regulations. They may also seek advice from experts on how best to transform to the new system without major setbacks to the organisation in terms of its set budget. Policy changes will also be vital in order to ensure smooth implementation of the new process. These may include fundamental laws and regulations that may re-invent the culture and spirit of the whole organisation. It is a fact that the implementation process is going of face a lot of opposition and this can already be seen in terms of the statistics that are available. Statistics are showing that only 29% of whites, 96 % of African Americans and 61% of Hispanics have embraced the act. This puts the total statistics as 40% of the population having embraced it while 51% are against it.
Programs
The out of pocket requirements paid by the patient should not be more than the amount that is available in the heath savings account of the patient. The amount of deductible cash cannot be more than $ 2000 for individual patients and $4000 for whole families. There will be four levels of coverage and actuaries will determine how much should be paid by insurers. States will have to establish Exchanges in order to assist employers and individuals to be able to attain. Those who are qualified for tax credits will be ineligible to receive employer covered insurance. Individuals who are undocumented immigrants will not receive premium tax credits that are offered to other citizens or documented immigrants. Health organisations will have to find other sources of fina...