Law and the Public's Health: Current Change in Health Care - Research Paper Example

According to the Protection and Affordable Care Act, the health care of the consumers (patients) is in their own hands. However, despite this freedom of decision-making, there is a need for them to be aware that any decision made comes with consequences whether positive or negative (Paul Parkin, Managing Change in Healthcare, 47 – 51).  The following are some of the health care areas where changes have taken place due to either controversies or conscience.

One of the key changes that have taken place is the introduction of family planning through the use of contraceptives. This, though controversial, has helped greatly when it comes to not only the family size but also the spacing between the children. This goes a long way in helping mothers avert unwanted pregnancies. It also gives parents ample time in planning for their children with regard to matters pertaining to food, shelter, clothing not forgetting education, which at the moment, is like a basic need to every child.  Statistically, it is evident that almost all women in the United States who have passed puberty have used contraceptives at one point. However, despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognizing family planning, most religious bodies have not been able to readily embrace the same. However recently, some of the religious bodies which have been holding firm stands pertaining to contraceptives have started loosening their stands.  

Summary and analysis of the article, “Law and the Public’s Health”

The article is about the various controversies evident on matters concerning healthcare, specifically on the use of contraceptives and the public’s conscience. It focuses on the Insurance coverage standards under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. It also points out that the use of contraceptives as a way of family planning is one of the greatest achievements attained in the health care sector. On March first, 2012, the U.S. Senate rejected a proposal that may have been of significance to the ACA because it could have allowed any health provider or plan to opt-out of giving health services related to ACA, inclusive though not compulsorily contraceptives.

This topic is very important not just to a specific group of individuals but to the entire public. There is a need for the public to be aware of what repercussions may arise as a consequence of their decisions pertaining to health matters. It acts as an eye-opener to those groups of persons that have been having question marks more specifically on matters concerning contraception.

This topic is quite vital and ought to be publicized so as to help the public make proper choices as far as decisions regarding health matters are concerned. Most of the nations, especially in the underdeveloped nations are have the population growing rapidly as compared to the number of resources available (W. Richard Scott, Institutional Change and Healthcare Organizations, 5 – 9). There is, therefore, a need for family planning methods so as to ensure the available resources match the population size.

In conclusion, as much as there is a need for the changes to be effected in the healthcare sector, there is a need for the public to be educated on every kind of change. This will go a long way in making the public embrace these changes. If not, the same public will pose a challenge in the implementation of these new ideas, hence causing the health sector to lack behind in the development in the health sector. One such area where a challenge of this kind has been prevalent is the issue pertaining to the use of contraceptives. There is also a need for the cost of accessing these facilities affordable to the general public. The government also ought to give the necessary support to the health sectors so as to enable them in carrying out their various roles. These include the construction of health facilities, funding research geared towards more inventions in the health sector, and being on the front line in the campaign pertaining to awareness creation as far as changes in the health sector are concerned. This will make the work of public health providers easy.