Healthcare reform, a subject that has long been needed and discussed at every level, from the kitchen table to the tables of law makers and decision makers, and no one has yet reached a perfect solution. Not only does the reform in healthcare have to cover all Americans, but it also has to do it affordably, comprehensively and ethically. In 2010 the Obama administration introduced the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to address the issue of medical coverage for all Americans regardless of their income. This act helped expand Medicaid eligibility, subsidized insurance premiums, offered incentives for business of all sizes to provide health care to its employees, encouraged individual states offer insurance exchanges, and made
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According to S. Boyer, as many as 12.6 million adults were denied coverage by insurance companies in the year prior to her writing her blog. Some of the individuals denied coverage or were charged higher premiums included those with a history of childhood injuries, cancer that has been cured, or had been victims of domestic violence, (Boyer, 2011). The majority of the “pre-existing” illness/injuries that the insurance companies refuse to cover or were charging higher premiums for have no effect on the individual’s present health. Neither do they portray a possibility of future health related difficulties. The morality of the insurance companies for this practice is not only questionable but, points to an unethical exercise in judgment and accountability on their part. Granted the insurance company is out to make a profit, but the high costs of insurance and the refusal to insure individuals with pre-existing conditions is unconscionable. The choice of insurance companies to follow this trend goes against five of the seven ethical principles that should be considered when making ethical decisions. Autonomy for individuals is removed when the choice of affordable full coverage insurance is removed by the high cost or downright refusal of insurance to cover them. Beneficence, the intent to aid others and avoid harm, is not shown by the …show more content…
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that, “the highest attainable standard of health is a fundamental right of every human being,” ("Code of Ethics for Nurses," 2015, p. 31), and this includes access to health, emergency, and trauma care as well as preventative education, and health promotion. It is the stand of the ANA that nurses are responsible in promoting this attitude and will work together in promoting changes in unjust practices and equalizing disparities in the level of healthcare all receive. On the surface there is little that the individual nurse can do to encourage insurance companies to change their practice of refusing coverage or charging high premiums to those with pre-existing conditions. The individual nurse can make a difference by joining with other nurses on councils, political action groups and professional nurse associations to take a stand against unfair practices and lobby for
According to S. Boyer, as many as 12.6 million adults were denied coverage by insurance companies in the year prior to her writing her blog. Some of the individuals denied coverage or were charged higher premiums included those with a history of childhood injuries, cancer that has been cured, or had been victims of domestic violence, (Boyer, 2011). The majority of the “pre-existing” illness/injuries that the insurance companies refuse to cover or were charging higher premiums for have no effect on the individual’s present health. Neither do they portray a possibility of future health related difficulties. The morality of the insurance companies for this practice is not only questionable but, points to an unethical exercise in judgment and accountability on their part. Granted the insurance company is out to make a profit, but the high costs of insurance and the refusal to insure individuals with pre-existing conditions is unconscionable. The choice of insurance companies to follow this trend goes against five of the seven ethical principles that should be considered when making ethical decisions. Autonomy for individuals is removed when the choice of affordable full coverage insurance is removed by the high cost or downright refusal of insurance to cover them. Beneficence, the intent to aid others and avoid harm, is not shown by the …show more content…
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that, “the highest attainable standard of health is a fundamental right of every human being,” ("Code of Ethics for Nurses," 2015, p. 31), and this includes access to health, emergency, and trauma care as well as preventative education, and health promotion. It is the stand of the ANA that nurses are responsible in promoting this attitude and will work together in promoting changes in unjust practices and equalizing disparities in the level of healthcare all receive. On the surface there is little that the individual nurse can do to encourage insurance companies to change their practice of refusing coverage or charging high premiums to those with pre-existing conditions. The individual nurse can make a difference by joining with other nurses on councils, political action groups and professional nurse associations to take a stand against unfair practices and lobby for