Health care is one of the major issues that have government officials concerned. For many years, many people died due to lack of health insurance, due to quality of care that health profession provides. According to cencus.gov, Both the percentage and number of people with health insurance increased in 2011, to 84.3 percent and 260.2 million, up from 83.7 percent and 256.6 million in 2010. That number is increasing each and every year due to the fact many people are unemployed, inadequate funds to afford health insurance or the company that they worked for doesnt provide them with health coverage. To create a solution to this issue that has a big impact on the US, President Barrack Obama came up with a universal healthcare program called the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act, also known as Obama care, which was signed In March of 2010. This act mandate that nearly everyone in the U.S. must have some form of health care insurance by 2014, or be fined by the Federal government. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act focused on reducing the cost of health care for Americans, providing health coverage to all Americans, make insurance coverage easier to attain, and reducing the overall cost in prescription drug for all Americans. By doing so, all Americans will be able to attain a healthy lifestyle. Although, many feel that the Obama care its a great program that will reconstruct the health coverage in America. In Obama eyes, everyone will benefit from this reformation. It will benefit the citizens of this country, the seniors, doctors, insurance company and small businesses.
This Act will enable more low-income people to get Medicaid, insurances company can no longer deny someone coverage and parents can put their children up to age 26 on their health insurance plans. In contrast, not everyones agrees to that. Many individuals feel that it might create more disparities, insurances company will ended up loosing money due to new taxes and penalties, there will be a shortage of health professionals, On the long run health coverage will be more expensive instead of decreasing and many dont agree with the fact that they are been forced to get Health insurance either through a private provider or by the Health Care for America Plan and it will lower economic growth and the fact that many decisions about their health care out of their hands and their doctor and puts them into the hands of government regulators. This analysis of the Act will print out the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
Strenght/weakness
Obama Care contains many benefits for low-income families. They will get access to health insurance and Medicaid expansion will cover over 15 million low-income individuals and families below the 133% FLP mark. In aIDition, they will also get access to preventive and wellness services for free. Doctors and hospitals will be rewarded for providing quality care, instead of being reward for quantity. That will push health facility and personnel to provide better care to the Americans. Despite the fact that, most facility will be rewarded for the quality of services, however there can also be a change. Many health professionals refused to provide care for Medicaid patients. Due to less reimbursement, most doctors are not accepting government health programs.The difficulties that Obama care contains are that, many individuals are been forced to purchase insurance or they will pay a penalty income tax. The person will have to pay $95 or 1% of your income for the first year then it increases gradually. America is a country of diversity, which means every member of the society different needs according to their social class. To the wealthy, a health insurance may not be necessary and they may think of it only as a waste of their tax. An aIDitional difficulty is taxes that are being forced on small businesses. Small business will have to have at least 50 full-time employees and provide them with insurance or the employer will have to pay a fine.Opportunities
Many individual and small businesses will now be able to purchased affordable insurance. They will be eligible for tax credit so that they can provide insurance for their workers. More people will get the privileged of being a part of Medicaid. States will be able to received federal matching funds for covering some aIDitional low income individual and families under Medicaid (healthcare.org)
Threat
According to Robert E. Moffit , The act will have a tremendous impact on the senior. Lack of physician to provide care for the seniors and more.In conclusion, The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act have a lot to offer to low-incomes families. It will enable them to get access to health insurance and preventive services and also reduce the cost of prescription. However, it creates some type of hardship to small business owners and individuals that are wealthy.