patient protection and Affordable Care Act

The paper covers patient protection and the Affordable Care Act as one of the current public health care issues. The subject is also studied from a sociopolitical, economic, and cultural standpoint. There is also discussion of the ethical and legal quandaries that nursing practitioners face when health care issues become politicized. President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, often known as Obamacare, into law in 2010. By making insurance available to almost 95% of the legal population in the United States, the measure profoundly altered the health-care system. The bill aims to provide health insurance coverage to those who do not currently have it. For example, people who are not covered by the national health programs or employers as well as the elderly and poor.

Socio-Political Aspect of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

The socio-political aspect of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is observed in the increase of public health coverage and the rising reforms that make the law politically contentious. The law has faced more than fifty repeal attempts by the Republican members as well as a Supreme Court challenge in 2012. Also, in 2016 during the presidential race, a candidate promised the citizens to repeal the law if elected (Williams, 2016). The law has faced opposition since some people view it hindrance of state running their health exchanges.

Economics of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

The economics of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has been observed in the reduced growth of health care costs to private insurers and medical providers which has substantial benefits to employees. Additionally, the law has influenced conversation on the way people approach health care benefits and services in their cultural values, traditions, and beliefs (Cousins, 2014). The law has also made healthcare affordable to ethnic minorities who have less access to care, fewer treatment options, and higher rates of diseases.

Ethical and Legal Dilemmas

Notably, there are ethical and legal dilemmas that professionals face when healthcare issues are politicized. Doctors may be involved in malpractices and unethical activities such as directing patients who are covered by insurance to their lab to conduct procedures like surgery to allow them to collect a special fee for operating.

References

Cousins, M. (2014). The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and Constitutional Challenges. SSRN Electronic Journal. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1718471

Williams, J. (2016). The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Meets the ‘Persistently Uninsured’. Social Policy & Administration, 50(4), 452-466. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/spol.12238