ACA - Encouraging Integrated Health Systems - Article Example

Encouraging Integrated Health Systems The establishment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was enacted so as to allow individuals acquire incentives on how to access healthcare coverage at very minimal costs. This act was set up so as to help achieve an integrated healthcare system. Prior to the enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the healthcare system was indicated to be less comprehensive and could not meet the demands of the populace of America. In the year 2010, President Obama signed it; thus, creating a situation whereby the populace would access proper healthcare through implementation of the ACA provisions. ACA aims at improving the policies that pertain to healthcare as well as provide funding that contribute to improvement of healthcare. For implementation of the policies of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the government introduced accountable care organizations (ACOs) and methods of provision of care and payment. Through the ACA, the government would be in a position to allow health providers collaborate with the patients and providers of health in an endeavor to provide proper healthcare to patients. Benefits to the patients dealt with the ACA through ACO, are inclusive of the fact that accountability in terms of healthcare would be achieved through access to Insurance programs. As a health administrator, it is my responsibility to ensure that the concerned stakeholders, especially the nurses- the main service providers- restructure the healthcare system and promote efficient healthcare services to the patient. On the other hand, as a HC, it is vital to ensure that quality healthcare is offered to the members of a particular organization by educating the employees on the ability to access healthcare through shared contributions and bonuses. In conjunction with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) have made numerous attempts to regulate access to medical care through doctors, hospitals and other service providers. Foremost, Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) have made all initiatives to ensure that, patients access healthcare, despite their affiliations. This essay shall focus on encouraging integrated healthcare through Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and the role of the Health Care administrator (HC) to implement the provision of the Act. For the provisions of the Act to be achieved, the Health Care administrator (HC) must assume the role of administrators whose aims will be to implement the provisions. According to the provisions of ACO, organizations must be directed towards improving healthcare. In this case, administrators must be keen to ensure that ACO constantly report their findings on experiences by patients in terms of healthcare provision. Buchbinder & Shanks (2011) indicate that quality healthcare is only possible if all concerned parties work in conjunction to ensure that, quality healthcare is provided to individuals. The enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) followed the need to incorporate all individuals into the healthcare system. As a Health Care administrator (HC), I must also ensure that the basics of the functionality of the Act are followed to the letter. In my organization, in line to this provision, I will ensure that, I educate my employees on the benefits of the contribution for insurance purposes. With the provision of Affordable Care Act (ACA), it is possible to create an organization whereby individuals are able to access proper healthcare. This is only possible with the inclusion of a health administrator from the organization to implement the objectives of ACO. Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires that all persons be covered with the Medicaid (Government health reform, 2010). In this case, my responsibility as a Health Care Administrator will be to mobilize my personnel on the need to access funds that would allow my employees fit in the scheme. This is from the fact that, various organizations are of different intensities in terms of accessing healthcare and application of the policies of ACA. However, it is mandatory that all persons, especially those of low incomes realize that it is their right to fit in the scheme. In this context, therefore, it is my responsibility as the HC to mobilize them receive funds from the federal government; thus, make the situation that would allow them access healthcare easier. Consequently, more and more persons in the state would be in a position to access healthcare; thus, attaining an integrated healthcare system. In an attempt to implement the provisions of ACA, it is vital that I understand the operations of the particular organization that requires my direction. This is only possible through the integration of the members of the organization ad the community at large. For instance, so as to communicate the provision of ACA, in terms of cracking down the fraud on Healthcare, it is vital that my employees are well conversant with the terms of the law. Through the ability to fight fraud by the government, I will encourage my employees to enroll in the scheme so as to attain the goals of an integrated healthcare system. Since the healthcare providers are carefully scrutinized in an attempt to reduce fraud and the chances of waste reduction in Medicare, education on my employees on this issue, would be beneficial. Goldsmith (2011) argues that all the basics of healthcare proper healthcare have to be adhered to if an integrated healthcare system has to be attained. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) allows for an expansion of coverage of retirees. In the case of my organization, it is my sole duty to make certain that, my employees are made aware of this fact (Government health reform, 2010). Unlike in the previous years whereby the aged Americans had issues with savings and comfortable retire, the government has undertaken an initiative to ensure that the aged retire ‘in style’ with the provision of an employee based insurance scheme. In such an instance, it is my responsibility as a Health Care administrator (HC) to ensure that, my employees are ware of the financial costs they will be required to incur in the course of accessing an integrated healthcare system. My employees must be conversant with the fact that $5has been dedicated to the provision of financial assistance to retirement benefits of persons of ages 55 to 65, inclusive of their dependants. The major focus of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is to ensure that the populace of U.S.A. access proper healthcare through provision of basic healthcare. The HC has the responsibility of ensuring that they provide information to employees through allowing employees access the healthcare provision website. The employees in turn compare options of provision of healthcare systems to employees. In this case, the employees will be educated on the need to access insurance to uninsured employees in the organization. Through the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) employees will be in a position to access insurance coverage (Government health reform, 2010). In an attempt to make healthcare affordable, as the Health Care administrator (HC), it is my role to enlighten my employees on the extended coverage plan for the young adults. Once the employees learn that the scheme allows them access services whilst in their parents’ scheme until 26 years, they will be in a position to plan on which plan is applicable in their situation. The employees will also be in a better position to consult the concerned authorities on which medical scheme is applicable to them. For an integrated healthcare system to be operational, the Health Care administrator (HC) must ensure that; they inform their employees on the possibilities of not accessing insurance services due to unscrupulous businessmen who are not willing to offer them services and constantly complain of errors on clients’ requests. With this, it is important that my employees are made aware. This move is important to my organization, as my employees will be spared from chances that their schemes will disappear in the hands of deceitful businessmen. As a Health Care administrator (HC), I would undertake the role of an informative and transformational leader. The basics of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) can only be implemented if the leader is constantly on the move to ensure its employees are at par with the terms and conditions of the law. In the case of regulating limits in insurance coverage, it is important to always communicate the changes through any form of channels that are available in the organization. At times, the leaders ought to assume the role of a tough leader, ready to protect employees especially in times when the insurance attempts to hike its rates. In such an instance the leader must protect its employees from any form of exploitation that may be imposed on them. Conclusively, it is justified to argue that attainment of an integrated healthcare system is only possible if the provisions of the Affordable Care Act are well communicated to employees of various organizations. The Health Care administrator (HC), in this case has a major responsibility to play, in an attempt to ensure that employees are well conversant with the terms and conditions of the insurance healthcare provisions. The Health Care administrators (HC) must also work towards ensuring that the move by Medicare to implement ACO is well coordinated by the concerned healthcare providers. Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research and Educational Trust (2011) indicates that an understanding of the insurance services allows employees be aware of their rights; thus minimal conflicts in organizations. In this case, it is possible that an integrated healthcare is attained in the society. Government Accountability Office (2011), on the other hand, recommends benefits designs and financial risks must be highlighted to individuals, to reduce the chances that employees miss out in the benefit scheme. References Buchbinder, S.B. and Shanks, N.H (2011). Introduction to Health Care Management (2nd Edition). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.  Goldsmith, S.G. (2011). Principles of Health Care Management: Foundations for a Changing Health Care System (2nd Edition). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.  Government Accountability Office (2011). Use of Recovery Act and Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Funds for Comparative Effectiveness Research, June 2011 Government health reform website (2010). Available at http://www.healthcare.gov/law/timeline/index.html  Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research and Educational Trust (2011). Employer Health Benefits 2011 Annual Survey. September 2011. Read More