Health Care Reform to Address Access - Essay Example

Answer Effective healthcare delivery system is vital ingredient of government’s welfare programs. In recent times, the high cost of living has adversely impacted the public healthcare system in America. With nearly 45 million US residents having no access to healthcare, the myriad healthcare issues like accessibility to quality healthcare at affordable cost, health insurance etc. have emerged as major concern (Enthovan, 2003). All Americans have a right to good health but the inflationary trend has made it difficult for the vulnerable segment of society to access quality healthcare.

Indeed, as one of the most developed nation of the world, America has failed to provide a universal health cover to its people. The healthcare reforms of Obama administration have, therefore, been hailed as major initiatives that cater to the welfare of the people at large. The federal health reform legislation enacted in 2010 addresses the crucial areas: accessibility to quality healthcare; rein in its cost; and promote uniform plans that cuts across gender, age and persons with pre-existing diseases.

The reform proposes to enforce stringent measures to control wastage, fraud and abuse in Medicare in order to make it more cost effective. Moreover, the austerity measures along with saving would ensure that medical care is extended to wider segment of population covering vulnerable segment. The administration has allotted $630 billion in the budget of 2010 for the healthcare reforms over a period of ten years (WhiteHouse, 2012). Indeed, the reforms are intended to make it universal and the recent Supreme Court verdict has strengthened Obama’s plans for making healthcare universal.

Answer 2 I believe that the basic value for underlying this approach is to curb corruption, especially Medicaid and Medicare frauds, which lead to substandard healthcare services. The commodification of market driven health insurance have become major obstacle for accessing quality care at affordable prices. Harrington (2008) strongly believes that poor health status of people is due to limited access to healthcare services, especially for the poor, uninsured and vulnerable segment like aged and disabled.

The present reforms promote health insurance cover to people who cannot afford. It has also made provisions to protect people with pre-existing condition by creating national ‘high risk’ pool. The special team of experts would watch over the waste, fraud and abuse in the Medicare. These are effective measures that would help rein in cost and enhance accessibility to quality healthcare. These values align with the Obama’s political will and political perspectives which have been the foundation of his Presidentship.

The bill had been under lots of controversy from the start but the recent Supreme Court verdict has given it the constitutional legitimacy, thus silencing dissenters. It has, indeed, long term political ramifications because it has addressed the needs of common man.Answer 3 As a policy maker and working on expanding access to quality care, tackling corruption and fraud in Medicare would be my focus as it has been one of the most important area that has been responsible for low quality service and discrimination across gender, class, age etc.

Obama has addressed the issue with expertise and genuine concern. Currently, nearly 18% of population is without health insurance and with increased life expectancy, it has become a key area of concern (CDC, 2012). Hence, reforms are effective steps towards universal coverage.ReferencesCDC. (2012). How Healthy Are We. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/healthy.htm Enthoven, A. C. (2003). Employment-based health insurance is failing: now what? Health Affairs, 13(2), 7-20.Harrington, C.

& Estes, L C. (2008). Health Policy: Crisis and Reforms in the U.S. Health Care. Massachusetts: Jones & Barlett Publishers.White House. (2012). Health reforms. Retrieved from: http://www.whitehouse.gov/healthreform