The healthcare reform was regarded to as the biggest in the history of the United States for over 40 years, and it ushered in a new phase of the U.S healthcare system. In a nutshell, the recent healthcare reforms aim at enhancing access to healthcare services by all U.S citizens by embarking on fundamental healthcare policy approaches that creates universal healthcare. They are also intended to reduce the cost of healthcare across the country. It is believed that the quest for the introduction of the healthcare reform was occasioned by the inefficiency of the old healthcare system in which access to healthcare services by the U.S citizens was somehow difficult. In the old healthcare system, only some few selected groups were able to access healthcare services under Government-funded healthcare programmes. Healthcare coverage involved the Medicare and the Medicaid, Government-funded healthcare programmes through which the aged and the low-income populations could access medical services in public healthcare institutions. Government-run schemes enabled military veterans to access medical services; whereas the State Children’s Health Insurance Programmes catered for the children of the uninsured parents. In addition, the National Health Insurance Fund, which is an employer-funded health insurance, offered access to healthcare for the employed population on the basis of salary deductions from their monthly income.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Impact of Recent Healthcare Reforms
- Impact of Healthcare Changes to Utilization
- Concept of Universal Healthcare
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This text examines the impact of recent healthcare reforms in the United States, particularly the Affordable Care Act, on access to healthcare services and their subsequent implications for utilization patterns. The text aims to analyze the transition from a system that provided limited access to healthcare to one that aims for universal coverage.
- Expansion of healthcare access through the Affordable Care Act
- Impact of universal healthcare on utilization of public and private healthcare facilities
- The concept of universal healthcare and its implications for individual well-being
- The challenges and opportunities presented by healthcare reforms
- Comparison between the old and new healthcare systems in the US
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter provides an overview of the healthcare reform debate in the United States, highlighting the passage of the Affordable Care Act and its objectives. It describes the limitations of the old healthcare system and the motivations behind its reform.
- Impact of Recent Healthcare Reforms: This chapter explores the various ways in which recent healthcare measures have expanded access to healthcare services. It discusses specific provisions such as coverage for young adults under parental plans, mandated coverage for individuals with pre-existing conditions, and the elimination of gender bias in insurance policies.
- Impact of Healthcare Changes to Utilization: This chapter analyzes the potential influence of healthcare reforms on utilization patterns, particularly with regard to public and private healthcare facilities. It explores both the potential benefits of improved access and the potential challenges associated with increased demand for services.
- Concept of Universal Healthcare: This chapter defines the concept of universal healthcare, outlining its implications for individual well-being and its potential to improve living standards. It contrasts the universal healthcare system with the existing Medicaid program and discusses the implications of a single-payer system.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Key terms and concepts covered in this text include healthcare reform, Affordable Care Act, universal healthcare, access to healthcare, utilization, public healthcare facilities, private healthcare providers, patient satisfaction, healthcare insurance, Medicaid, single-payer system, and individual well-being.
- Quote paper
- Patrick Kimuyu (Author), 2016, Impact of the US Healthcare Reform on various Levels, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/380717
