Access to Secure Health Insurance Coverage
Since the mobility of workers across jobs has been increased, the secure access to insurance assists them in securing jobs best suited for them (Sommers, Buchmueller, Decker, Carey, & Kronick, 2013). Therefore the overall productivity and wages is increased. Additionally, reduction of job lock encourages entrepreneurship which is important for job creation and growth.
12
BENEFITS CONT…
ACA improves financial security in the face of sickness or illness (Beronio, Po, Skopec, & Glied, 2014).
Today, getting ill does not spell financial ruin because of extended access to affordable health coverage.
Having health insurance is today considered a financial security.
Medicaid expansion has improved financial security because of access to coverage (Beronio, Po, Skopec, & Glied, 2014).
ACA improves financial security for senior people through phasing out the part D of Medicaid.
ACA has moved beyond just expanding health insurance coverage , but it has improved financial security for families and even senior people (Beronio, Po, Skopec, & Glied, 2014). Since the act was enacted, these provisions saved 7.3 million people who are beneficiaries of Medicare.
13
MEDICAID AND MEDICAL COSTS.
ECONOMIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ACT
Is ACA too expensive for the government?
And, how sustainable is the Act going forward?
Medicaid expansion, which is a pillar of ACA, requires a lot of federal funding which may too expensive for the government.
Secondly, what is the sustainability and future of individual mandate?
Since many Americans are paying penalties because of the individual mandate as a component of ACA, the economic consequence could be detrimental.
Lastly, are the cost of premiums which continue to increase economically sustainable for Americans?
The fact that ACA is heavily funded by the federal government for universal coverage means spending is likely to increase with Medicaid expansion as the volume of those covered increased is an economic concern. The spending may hit the GDP and hence affecting the country’s ability to invest in other areas.
15
REFERENCES.
Beronio, K., Po, R., Skopec, L., & Glied, S. (2014). Affordable Care Act will expand mental health and substance use disorder benefits and parity protections for 62 million Americans. Mental Health, 2.
Kocher, R., Emanuel, E. J., & DeParle, N. A. M. (2010). The Affordable Care Act and the future of clinical medicine: the opportunities and challenges. Annals of internal medicine, 153(8), 536-539.
Schoen, C., Doty, M. M., Robertson, R. H., & Collins, S. R. (2015). Affordable Care Act reforms could reduce the number of underinsured US adults by 70 percent. Health Affairs, 30(9), 1762-1771.
Sommers, B. D., Buchmueller, T., Decker, S. L., Carey, C., & Kronick, R. (2013). The Affordable Care Act has led to significant gains in health insurance and access to care for young adults. Health affairs, 32(1), 165-174.