Abstract
According to Gusmano (2017), the United States healthcare system is in a state of flux. The Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, was passed into law in 2010 and has been the subject of much debate and contention ever since (Gusmano, 2017). The ACA was designed to increase access to affordable health insurance, but the law has failed to achieve this goal. In addition, the ACA has been plagued by rising premiums and deductibles, which has led to increased out-of-pocket costs for consumers. The administration has made repealing and replacing the ACA a top priority but has been unsuccessful.
Introduction
According to Gruber and Sommers (2019), there is much debate about the role of the government in healthcare. The administration has taken steps to repeal the ACA but has so far been unsuccessful. The future of healthcare policy in the United States will continue to play a significant role in providing and regulating healthcare services. Most Americans believe that the government should provide healthcare for all citizens, while others believe that the government should only play a role in regulating the healthcare industry (Eguia et al., 2019). There is no easy answer, and the debate will likely continue for many years. This paper analyzes in detail the government’s role in providing healthcare and regulating healthcare policies.
Discussion
Obamacare is the most current and all-encompassing law regarding healthcare reform in the United States. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was established in 2012 after being sustained by the Supreme Court (Gusmano, 2017). By increasing Medicaid eligibility to encompass all people with earnings up to 138% of the federal poverty threshold, the Affordable Care Act increased access to healthcare for low- and middle-income Americans (Eguia et al., 2019). Many changes were made to the private health insurance market due to the ACA. For example, Americans with pre-existing diseases may no longer be denied coverage, and there is a yearly open enrollment period during which anybody can sign up for health care.
The Roles of Government in the Healthcare System
The Role of the Government in Healthcare
The government is a major player and contributor in healthcare operations in the country. In addition, the administration has proposed several changes to healthcare policy, such as getting rid of the individual mandate, ending subsidies for private health insurance, and expanding access to short-term health insurance (Gusmano, 2017). The government plays a significant role in both providing and regulating healthcare services. The government provides healthcare through programs such as Medicare and Medicaid and also regulates the healthcare industry through agencies such as the CMS. The government also plays a role in healthcare reform, such as the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
The Role of the Government in Healthcare Policy
The government plays a major role in healthcare policy in the United States. The government sets standards for care through agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the CMS. The government also provides funding for research and development through agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (Ruggles et al., 2019). The government regulates the healthcare industry through laws and regulations. The healthcare industry is a major player in healthcare policymaking in the United States. Healthcare lobbyists and interest groups often attempt to influence policymakers on issues such as the ACA, Medicare, and Medicaid (Motti & Berkovsky, 2022). The healthcare industry also spends millions of dollars on campaign contributions to politicians.
The Role of the Government in Healthcare Reform
The healthcare industry has a significant impact on the economy. Therefore, the government must always spearhead reforms in this sector. Healthcare spending in the United States is estimated to be $3.5 trillion in 2018 (Gruber & Sommers, 2019). The healthcare industry employs millions of people. Moreover, the industry has a large impact on the overall budget. The government has played a major role in healthcare reform in the United States. The most notable example in this context is the ACA of 2010. The government has also played a role in other healthcare reforms, such as the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) passage in 1997 (Motti & Berkovsky, 2022). The ACA has changed the healthcare landscape in the United States by expanding access to healthcare, increasing healthcare industry regulation, and mandating coverage for certain types of care.
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Reflection on the Government Roles
It is the role of the government to protect its citizens. This expected protection should also be in the form of healthcare providers and healthcare policy regulation. The government should provide healthcare services because it is a fundamental right of every citizen. Health care is a fundamental human right, and every government is responsible for guaranteeing its people equal access to medical care (Ruggles et al., 2019). The government should also provide healthcare services because it is an important part of ensuring the nation’s economic security. Healthcare is a significant expense, and many families cannot afford quality healthcare independently. The government should provide healthcare services to help ensure that all citizens have access to quality care and help protect the nation’s economic security.
The government should also regulate healthcare services both in the federal and the States. The government should regulate healthcare services to protect the public from unsafe or ineffective care. The government should also regulate healthcare services to ensure that providers are held accountable for their quality of care (Ruggles et al., 2019). In addition, the government should regulate healthcare services to ensure that all providers are treated equitably and that patients have access to the care they need.
Conclusion
The current state of healthcare policy in the United States is a complex and ever-changing landscape. The government plays a significant role in both providing and regulating healthcare services. There is a long-standing debate over the proper role of government in healthcare, with proponents of a free market approach arguing that government involvement increases costs and decreases access to care (Gruber & Sommers, 2019). Therefore, proponents of a more government-regulated system argue that government involvement is necessary to ensure that all citizens have access to quality healthcare. The ACA has successfully expanded access to healthcare, with the number of Americans with health insurance increasing by nearly 20 million since the law was enacted (Ruggles et al., 2019). However, the law has also been controversial, with some critics arguing that the law goes too far in expanding government involvement in healthcare and that the individual mandate is an unconstitutional infringement on Americans’ freedom.
References
Eguia, E., Cobb, A. N., Kothari, A. N., Molefe, A., Afshar, M., Aranha, G. V., & Kuo, P. C. (2018). Impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid expansion on cancer admissions and surgeries. Annals of Surgery, 268(4), 584-590. Web.
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Gruber, J., & Sommers, B. D. (2019). The Affordable Care Act’s effects on patients, providers, and the economy: What we’ve learned so far. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 38(4), 1028-1052. Web.
Gusmano, M. K. (2017). ObamaCare wars: Federalism, state politics, and the Affordable Care Act by Daniel BĂ©land, Philip Rocco, and Alex Waddan. Lawrence, University Press of Kansas, 2016. 232 pp. Political Science Quarterly, 132(3), 551-553. Web.
Motti, V. G., & Berkovsky, S. (2022). Healthcare privacy. Modern Socio-Technical Perspectives on Privacy, 203-231. Web.
Ruggles, B. M., Xiong, A., & Kyle, B. (2019). Healthcare coverage in the US and Japan. Nursing, 49(4), 56-60. Web.