Shifting Health Care Priorities in the US

Overview of Shifting Health Care Priorities in the US

The United States has undergone significant changes in its approach to healthcare policy and priorities in recent years. In this paper, we will explore these changes and their impact on the healthcare system in the United States. Before the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, individuals without health insurance could not receive medical care unless they could afford to pay out-of-pocket. The ACA aimed to provide affordable health insurance coverage for all Americans, regardless of income or pre-existing conditions. However, the Trump administration has made moves to dismantle the ACA, and its future is uncertain (Brown et al., 2019).

Other changes that have taken place under the Trump administration include a shift in funding from public programs to private initiatives. For example, the Trump administration proposed cuts to Medicaid, which provides health coverage for low-income Americans, and Medicare, which provides health coverage for seniors and people with disabilities. People across the country are still feeling the impact of these changes. Millions of Americans have lost or are at risk of losing their health insurance, and millions are struggling to afford medical care. The future of healthcare in the United States is uncertain, and it is unclear how these changes will impact the healthcare system and the American people (Cha & Cohen, 2022).

How do Changes impact People to Health Care Policy?

While healthcare policy changes at the federal level are being debated, it’s important to understand how they impact people. At the state level, various changes have been made to Medicaid, the state and federal program that provides health care to low-income Americans. In some states, people are now required to complete work or job training as a condition of eligibility for Medicaid. This can be difficult for people who cannot work due to illness or disability. In addition, the Trump administration had proposed a rule allowing states to impose work requirements on Medicaid recipients who are not pregnant, elderly, or disabled. This could significantly impact the more than 78 million Americans who rely on Medicaid for health care (Cha & Cohen, 2022).

Examining the Impact of Changes to Health Care Policy at the State and Federal Level

Changes to health care policy in the United States have significantly impacted people across the nation. At both the state and federal levels, health care policy has shifted to prioritize the needs of insurance companies and wealthy Americans over the needs of ordinary citizens. One of the most visible impacts of these changes has been the rise in premiums and deductibles. As healthcare costs have increased, insurance companies have shifted more of the cost burden to their customers. This has resulted in millions of Americans being unable to afford necessary healthcare services. These changes will likely continue to impact people’s access to health care in the years to come. As elections approach, it will be important for voters to consider how candidates’ policies will affect access to affordable health care for all Americans (Brown et al., 2019).

Evaluating the Likelihood of Change to Health Care Policy

There are a few factors to consider when making this prediction. First, we must look at who is making the decisions about health care policy. The executive branch, specifically the President, has a lot of power when setting the healthcare reform agenda. However, they need buy-in from Congress actually to pass any legislation. And as we’ve seen in recent years, getting Congress to agree on anything is no easy feat.

In addition, we need to consider the role of interest groups and lobbying regarding health care policy. Healthcare reform is a complex and sensitive issue that interests various groups, from insurance companies to pharmaceutical companies to hospitals. These groups have a lot of money and influence and often lobby hard to protect their interests. So even if there is the political will to make changes to health care policy, vested interests can make it difficult to get anything done (Cha & Cohen, 2022).

Conclusion

Shifting healthcare priorities in the United States will significantly impact state and national healthcare policy. The people most affected by these policy changes will be those who rely on government assistance to afford health care and those who are chronically ill or have pre-existing conditions. These groups will likely see a decrease in the quality and availability of healthcare services shortly.

References

Brown, A. F., Ma, G. X., Miranda, J., Eng, E., Castille, D., Brockie, T., Jones, P., Airhihenbuwa, C. O., Farhat, T., Zhu, L., & Trinh-Shevrin, C. (2019). Structural Interventions to Reduce and Eliminate Health Disparities. American Journal of Public Health, 109(S1), S72–S78. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2018.304844

Cha, A., & Cohen, R. (2022). “Demographic Variation in Health Insurance Coverage: United States, 2021.” United States Census Bureau. https://doi.org/10.15620/cdc:121555

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Shifting Health Care Priorities in the US

Research and select an issue from one of the following categories that has or may
have an influence on U.S. health care policies:
 Changing social norms at the state level
 Shifting health care priorities in the United States
 Impacts of global health care U.S. policy
 Effects of health care on our environment

Write a 525- to 700-word paper that discusses the impact that issue selected can have
on changing health care policy.
 Describe the issue selected.
 Identify people or groups of people the issue impacts.
 Describe the impact the issue has at the state and federal level.
 Describe how likely it is the issue selected may change health care policy.
Cite at least 2 reputable references. Reputable references include trade or industry
publications, government or agency websites, scholarly works, a textbook, or other
sources of similar quality.