Reforms in the United States Health Care System Essay

Over the past years, the US has experienced high health costs. The skyrocketing health care costs consumed a large amount of the federal budget and there has been a need for reforms. During President Obama's reign, about 50 million Americans were uninsured and many of the insured Americans experienced high premiums and had to use their funds to offset many health care bills (Kingsley, 2014). The costs of preventive care were unbearable and many low-income households suffered the most. His proposal was geared towards investing intensively in preventive care, eliminating fraudulent activities in Medicare, investing in technological advancement to reduce error and promote effective healthcare records, lower costs and save more lives through quality services.

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Affordable Care Act became law in the year 2010 as Reconciliation Bill and it was popularly known as Obamacare (Carol, 2014). The aim of this legislation was to focus on the provision of quality healthcare as well as reduction of costs for citizens who could not acquire insurances from their employers. The reform would reduce two most expensive elements: chronic cases and emergency rooms.

Correspondingly, ACA made a great transformation in coverage for many people. It offered many people an opportunity to access preventive plans and reduce any form of high costs of emergency circumstances. There were also subsidies for the elderly to manage chronic conditions. Obamacare compelled even the young people to pay for their insurance premiums since it was recommended for all. By integrating the uninsured together the act reduced insurance risks. The act covered maternal, mental and child health through direct drug coverage. The act reduced health care and in 2016 there was an increase of 1.2% which was lower compared to 2004 which was 4% increase (Greve, 2016).

During his tenure, there were no other significant reforms in health care apart from Obamacare. This was quite a significant healthcare legislation ratified in the US since Medicaid and Medicare which dates back as early as the 1960s (Hathi & Kocher, 2017). Its implementation, however, has relied on competencies with which it has been implemented as well as policy guidelines.

With the act, many senior citizens have benefited as they have paid less to Medicare and for drugs compared to what they paid before its enactment. Many citizens receive free contraceptives, colonoscopies, and other tests like blood sugar and cholesterol tests. Moreover, individuals with pre-existing conditions are no longer dismissed from acquiring coverage. Patients with cancer previously went through bad experiences before ACA since most insurance companies did not have coverage for such conditions. They posited that such conditions happened before application for the coverage.

Tentatively, the act averted annual coverage limits as set by most insurance companies. Some people could be rendered unviable to use the coverage since they surpassed their limits. Some contained the amount at $1 million annually. Patients with these covers would be compelled to pay the full amount of these costs.

The losers for the Act were pharmaceuticals companies that had to pay close to $90 billion in extra fees. The medical apparatus manufacturers also felt the challenge of paying 2.5% of excise tax. ACA also taxed individuals who chose not to subscribe to insurance coverages. Many avoided the tax because of dynamics of exceptions.

President Trump has been criticized by many for his moves over healthcare and Obamacare since he took office. Under former President Obama, Americans experienced transformation in channels through which receive healthcare as well as reductions in costs (Rozier, 2017). Trump has established measures that have weakened the framework without necessarily offering a replacement. Trump's government has proposed to loosen guidelines on short-term insurance to sustain their processes for a year. In the previous government, they were capped at ninety days strictly. These proposal bases its argument on accommodating more people since it would meet their requirements. However, short-term strategies would cost less but in the long run, provide inadequate benefits. Emphatically, the premiums would also increase since it targets healthy and young individuals in comprehensive plans.

Additionally, Trump's administration has permitted states to levy work requirements especially on the beneficiaries of Medicaid. This move would eliminate benefits for healthy people with exception of those without employment ventures, in school and are caregivers. This provision targets the small part especially the childless single adults who were initially covered by Obamacare. The states were advised to present waivers that amend Medicaid. Some states planned to alter Medicaid premiums for all the beneficiaries, while others propose to bound the benefit period as well as implement obligatory drug testing.

Trump has also called for revoking Obamacare consistently before it is termed a failed law. He called for its repeal since he termed it as interference by the government into a private sector and expiration authorized high-cost plans of insurance (Rozier, 2017). The administration has not settled scores on how to repeal or establish a replacement to Obamacare.

Conclusion

Those who would be affected by Trump's implementation are the sick, elderly, women and those with low-income jobs. Businesses such as those in small-scale investments would be losers as well. Approximately 13 million individuals rely on the health insurance market sector made by ACA ("Republicans renew attempt to repeal Obamacare," 2017). They are likely to experience fewer benefits with increased cost. However, the higher income Americans would benefit from the tax perks since it would enable them the privilege to use the tax credit to offset their premiums.

References

Carol, M. (2014). Does the Accountable Care Act aim to promote quality, health, and control costs or has it missed the mark?; Comment on "Health system reform in the United States". International Journal of Health Policy and Management, Vol 2, Iss 2, Pp 97-99 (2014), (2), 97. doi:10.15171/ijhpm.2014.23.

Greve, B. (2016). Introduction - Obamacare - Implication for social policy and administration in the United States. Social Policy & Administration, 50(4), 425-427. doi:10.1111/spol.12236

Hathi, S., & Kocher, B. (2017). The right way to reform health care. Foreign Affairs, 96(4), 17-25.

Kingsley, T. (2014). Diagnosing the current problems of the United States Health care system requires examining the history of health reform. Kennedy School Review, 1463-69.

Republicans renew attempt to repeal Obamacare. (2017). Chain Drug Review, (7). 1.

Rozier, M. (2017). Waiting on health reform. America, 216(13), 26-31.