The Affordable Care Act, known colloquially as Obamacare, was enacted in 2010 and is one of the biggest regulatory changes in the United States healthcare system since 1965. The many goals of the Affordable Care Act included: regulate the healthcare industry, provide Americans with inexpensive health insurance, and increase the quality of healthcare and health insurance in the United States. Obamacare also introduced the Health Insurance Marketplace, a place where individuals can learn about health coverage plans, compare health insurance options, and both choose and enroll in coverage. One of the main benefits of the Affordable Care Act is it allows young adults to stay on their parent’s health insurance plans until they turn 26, which
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This is especially advantageous as it is estimated that half of all Americans have a health concern that qualifies as a pre-existing condition. According to the CDC, 75% of all healthcare expenses go towards treating chronic diseases, with the vast majority being preventable. It is also estimated that seven out of ten deaths in the United States is caused by a chronic disease. This provision of the ACA focuses on preventative care and treatment of chronic diseases by mandating the offering of coverage and equal treatment by health insurance companies and hospital systems. By focusing on preventative care and equal treatment, the United States can improve health outcomes while also lowering …show more content…
Medicare is the government sponsored health insurance program available to seniors 65 years of age and older, those under 65 years of age with specific disabilities, and those with end stage renal disease. Medicare has four parts: A and B (Original Medicare), C (Medicare Advantage), and D (Prescription Drug Insurance). Before the ACA, Part D of Medicare worked as follows: a person would pay 100% of drug costs until they reached the $310 deductible amount, they’d then pay 25% of the cost (with Part D paying for the other 75%) until costs reached $2,800. Individuals would then hit the coverage cap sometimes referred to as the “donut hole”, where they’d go back to paying 100% of the total cost of the drugs until total costs reached $4,550. For costs above $4,550, Part D would cover up to 95% of the costs. The introduction of the ACA sought to close the “donut hole” present in Medicare Part D. This will be accomplished by eliminating the coverage gap by slowly paying progressively more percent of the “donut hole” prescription cost, from 0% in 2010 to 75% in
This is especially advantageous as it is estimated that half of all Americans have a health concern that qualifies as a pre-existing condition. According to the CDC, 75% of all healthcare expenses go towards treating chronic diseases, with the vast majority being preventable. It is also estimated that seven out of ten deaths in the United States is caused by a chronic disease. This provision of the ACA focuses on preventative care and treatment of chronic diseases by mandating the offering of coverage and equal treatment by health insurance companies and hospital systems. By focusing on preventative care and equal treatment, the United States can improve health outcomes while also lowering …show more content…
Medicare is the government sponsored health insurance program available to seniors 65 years of age and older, those under 65 years of age with specific disabilities, and those with end stage renal disease. Medicare has four parts: A and B (Original Medicare), C (Medicare Advantage), and D (Prescription Drug Insurance). Before the ACA, Part D of Medicare worked as follows: a person would pay 100% of drug costs until they reached the $310 deductible amount, they’d then pay 25% of the cost (with Part D paying for the other 75%) until costs reached $2,800. Individuals would then hit the coverage cap sometimes referred to as the “donut hole”, where they’d go back to paying 100% of the total cost of the drugs until total costs reached $4,550. For costs above $4,550, Part D would cover up to 95% of the costs. The introduction of the ACA sought to close the “donut hole” present in Medicare Part D. This will be accomplished by eliminating the coverage gap by slowly paying progressively more percent of the “donut hole” prescription cost, from 0% in 2010 to 75% in