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Affordable Care Act is a truly historic legislation with vast and far reaching implications/consequences that will transform the health care landscape in America. For instance focusing on the population of older adults in America, research suggests that for an older American adults (aged over 65), there is a 70% chance that they require some form of long-term services and supports in their lifetime. It is also estimated that such adults will need an average of 3 years services and support although the range is quite broad with about 20% requiring 5 or more years of services/supports.
Indeed a large number of older adults find themselves with chronic illnesses or some level of functional limitation. In fact, Anderson (2010) indicates that Medicare beneficiaries with 5 or more chronic conditions represent 80% of all Medicare spending. People with chronic conditions and functional limitations are even more likely to use healthcare services.
Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured states that more than 45 million Americans are uninsured, and as a result, they experience increased morbidity and mortality. Even Americans who have insurance often face financial and other barriers to getting care.
The Affordable Care Act removes most of these financial barriers and closes the proverbial “doughnut holes” for Medicare beneficiaries over the next decade, reducing a financial barrier that decreases medication adherence; this is expected that this leads to better health (Cutler & Everett, 2010).
The Affordable Care Act also removes annual and lifetime limits and outlaws other insurance practices, such as rescissions, that frequently deny people care when they most need it.
Furthermore, Affordable Care Act will lower other health care costs, for instance, it makes preventive screening visits free by eliminating cost sharing and copayments, so serious conditions can be diagnosed earlier, when treatments are most effective. This will make it easier for physicians to prescribe the right tests for their patients and consequently to provide a better, more timely and more effective treatment.
However, Affordable Care Act has proved to be one of the most fiercely contested legislation in U.S.A.
Therefore, in today’s debate we will explore the participant’s experiences and views in relation to the Affordable Care Act and will ask what is the way forward for America in relation with the Affordable Care Act? Move Forward or Rollback?
Join us & share your views Re “Affordable Care Act: Forward or Rollback?” today at 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT @SWSCmedia,
This is part of @SWSCMEDIA‘s weekly U.S. Debate Series which is held every Wednesday (8:00 PM ET / 3:00 PM PT) @SWSCMEDIA.
