Health Policy in United States
Complete the following:
Describe 2 key lessons that you have learned from state or local health reform efforts, and provide an analysis on how these lessons might inform health policy changes taking place at the federal level, if at all.
Identify 1 reform effort that is considered a benchmark at the local level that in some way reduces health care costs, improves quality, or increases access to health care.
Provide the link to the article or Web site in your post and list as a reference in APA format.
Sample Answer
Health Policy in United States
Various lessons can be obtained from state or local health reform efforts. One of them is that the national health reform, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), contributed to an increase in the number of insured people in the state, including older adults. However, the healthcare policy also created other new groups of uninsured people. For instance, the number of uninsured people in Georgia increased after the establishment of the healthcare policy. The individuals in Georgia qualified for federal premium subsidies remain uninsured, and those ineligible for the subsidies. In just one year (2016 to 2017), the total number of individuals enrolled in health insurance dropped substantially, leading to a significant rise in the number of uninsured individuals in Georgia (Whitson, 2020). Thus, the implementation of state health efforts can help address this issue at the state level. The second lesson is that state-led health reform plays a significant role in addressing the issue of limited access to care across the US. However, a lack of support from the national government can hinder the effectiveness of state or local health reform efforts to address various issues in healthcare. For that reason, the federal government needs to approve and support state-led health reforms.
These lessons might inform health policy reforms being implemented at the federal level to enhance access to care among various populations, reduce healthcare costs, and address healthcare disparities. For instance, the federal government can expand successful state-led reforms to the national to ensure other states benefit from the innovative health reforms. Various forms have come up with innovative health reforms to address multiple healthcare issues at the state level. For example, Georgia introduced the Georgia pathway to coverage. This healthcare policy addresses various negative impacts caused by healthcare initiatives associated with PPACA, such as Medicaid expansion. Thus, the implementation of this health reform in other states can be help enhance access to care among the uninsured across the nation.
Various state-led health reforms efforts have been experienced in the United States that focus on enhancing access to care among specific populations, reducing healthcare costs, and addressing healthcare disparities at the state level. Besides, the state health reform efforts inform health policy changes at the federal level. An example of state-led health reform in the US is Georgia’s pathway to coverage. This state-led healthcare reform was approved by the Trump Administration. It is an innovative, flexible option within Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act that aims to lower healthcare premiums, promote quality outcomes, and enhance accessibility across Georgia (Garfield et al., 2020). There are thousands of people in Georgia working, training, volunteering, or getting an education, unable to afford employer-sponsored insurance or a plan on the open market (Garfield et al., 2020). The healthcare reform aims to benefit the working-age Georgia adults, aged 19 to 64 years old, with an income level of 100 percent of the poverty level (FPL) and below and ineligible for the Medicaid program. It was expected to be effective from July 1, 2021, to September 30, 2025. To qualify for this program, one must be participating in 80hrs a month of work. They must be the specified qualifying activities, including unsubsidized employment, on-the-job training, and specified vocational training. But those applicants or beneficiaries who fail to qualify may request a reasonable accommodation to help in meeting the qualifying hours and activities needed to qualify (Garfield et al., 2020).
References
- Garfield, R., Damico, A., & Orgera, K. (2020). The coverage gap: uninsured poor adults in states that do not expand Medicaid. Peterson KFF-Health System Tracker. Disponível em:. Acesso em, 29. https://collections.nlm.nih.gov/master/borndig/101717244/Issue-Brief-The-Coverage-Gap-Uninsured-Poor-Adults-in-States-that-Do-Not-Expand-Medicaid.pdf
- Whitson, C. D. (2020). Medicaid Expansion and Work Requirements in Georgia. Journal of Legal Medicine, 40(3-4), 391-419. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01947648.2020.1854136
