Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and Healthcare Analysis

AFFORDABLE CARE ACT 1
PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT AND HEALTHCARE
ANALYSIS
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AFFORDABLE CARE ACT 2
INTRODUCTION
The United States healthcare system is complex yet has undergone various
reforms to ensure that the majority of the citizens receive affordable healthcare. The
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act also known as ACA is a law that was passed
in 2010 but most changes occurred during 2014 and 2016.
POSITIVE ELEMENTS
The ACA provides for preventive care such as screening for diabetes and cancer.
According to Menke, Casagrande, Geiss & Cowie (2015) the prevalence of diabetes has
increased by 12% therefore screening services would help in prompt diagnosis of such
cases. The act contains the element of covering the essential health benefits such
emergency services, maternity and newborn care and prescription drugs. This is
important as the benefits provide for the primary healthcare needs in the population. The
third benefit is coverage for preexisting conditions such as heart attack, kidney failure,
diabetes and liver fatty disease. This would ensure that the insurance companies did not
exempt such patients from benefitting from the ACA.
NEGATIVE ELEMENTS
The insurance companies increased the premium costs for ACA.This implies that
citizens will have to bear the burden of increased health premiums yet the taxes are also
high. The ACA provided guidelines that those who were not covered in any insurance
cover or exempt were taxed. This appears like a forced plan on those who would prefer
not to be covered. Turner (2017) states that the additional tax in the ACA totals to one