Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act - Term Paper Example

? Patient Protection and Affordable care act in The healthcare system has seen a considerable number of successful and failed policies in their quest to reform the entire system. With every passing election, discussion on health care reform takes precedence over all other promises given by hopeful presidential candidates. Despite all their promises, the witnessed trend so far shows little if any fulfillment of these promises. The steady rise of healthcare costs afflicts many citizens. In addition to that, many people live their lives without health insurance because it is a luxury they cannot afford (Harry, 2010). The last fifty years saw seen the enactment of serious health reforms including Medicare and Medicaid. The two have improved access to healthcare for the entire country’s citizens. The success of these reform policies serves as a benchmark for all future health reforms. However, as mentioned earlier not all reform policies have succeeded to this date despite the tireless self-dedication of many people. The (NHI) National Health Insurance is one of these policies. Discussions by historians help to point out why some policies have proven to be successful whereas others have not (Harry, 2010). The policy formulation stage is the first stage in the public policy making process. Analysis of problems and solutions occurs during this stage in the agenda setting process (Mark, 2012). Also, discussed are the reasons that could have led to the dire need for a reform to be implemented (Copeland, 2011). In this case, successful Medicare and Medicaid reforms; the need arose from the increased suffering of many citizens who had limited success to healthcare. Access to proper medical care is extremely expensive and not most low income earners can afford it. The responsibility of provision of adequate healthcare to the citizens lies with the government. One of the defining aspects of a successful government is its ability to cater for its people especially in the health department. This is because a healthy population directly translates into a healthy workforce. The economic success of the entire nation depends on its citizens (Harry, 2010). There also existed an international outcry from the international community. Organizations like (WHO) World Health Organization and the (UN) United Nations have a list of expectations for all its member states. Provision of adequate healthcare is one of these requirements. USA, just like all other countries had to ensure their policies were in line with these expectations (Lambert, 2010). The need for NHI arose from the country’s need to equip all its citizens with health insurance. This meant that even the poor could afford such a service. The American constitution considers all men equal and from this perspective all citizens are rightful owners of the country’s resources. NHI is more complex than the other two successful reform policies making it hard to implement. Trials for its implementation have failed time and again because of these problems. Ideological differences are one of the key milestones yet to be conquered (House, 2008). Karl Marx, a prominent sociologist, explained such behaviors in his conflict theory. He advanced in it that conflict when people of the ruled or subordinate class seek to improve their economic status and move up to the ruling class (Foster, 2010). Naturally those in the ruling class would view this as a threat and conflict would ensue. In the case of the NHI, the two groups would have opposed ideologies. The affluent would advocate for the national resources to be directed to other ventures that would benefit them. On the other hand, the under privileged would demand for the resources to be directed towards ventures that would ease their economic hardships (Lambert, 2010). Bureaucracy comes with increased levels of development within a country. The strength of interest groups has to be solicited (Vivar, 2011). These groups prove most influential especially in the enactment phase of the reform policy. They can either hinder or propel the enactment of a policy. Other issues affecting the success of the policy include the decentralization of congressional power and a weakened presidency. For example, the impeaching of Nixon affected the success of the NHI reform policy. This is a classic case of a weakened presidency. While Nixon was the president, the future of the policy seemed promising and could be seen to materialize well soon into a successful policy. However, this ceased as soon as he was out of office. The problems mentioned above either ensured the success or failure of reform policies (Lambert, 2010). The solutions to the problems encountered by the NHI reform policy can be solved in a variety of ways. Policy makers should always strive to learn from mistakes made in the past. It is essential to use information used in the past as a framework for future designs (Elmendorf, 2005). This helps people not repeat earlier mistakes allowing for an opportunity in the discovery of new challenges.  Serious consideration of this issue allows for progress. Ideological differences should also be solved through compromise made by both parts. This will help prevent conflict which slows the entire policy making process. As the leader of the nation, the president ought to act as a symbol of national unity as he centralizes the fragmented elements of his congress. This can only be achieved if the president minimizes the pursuit of his interests and focuses on the nation’s interests. For instance, if a president realizes policies promised during his campaign period are detrimental to the country, he should abandon his quest of their implementation. Alternatively, if he realizes that a policy is beneficial to the nation he should endorse it and stand his ground (Harry, 2010). President Nixon’s proposition of a Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan contained key features such as insurance coverage for workers and their families provided by employers with more than twenty five employees (CCH Incorporated, 2010). This plan was to provide the public with proper health insurance that would replace and Improve Medicare. The political circumstance associated with the failure of this proposed reform was the impeachment of Nixon. This saw a dramatic halt to the process of policy making with regard to this reform policy despite the legislative seriously considering it in 1974 (Harry, 2010). Later in 1993, President Clinton revived the NHI reform policy hoping borrowing from Nixon’s earlier attempt. In his proposal, there were to be controls on the rate of increased health insurance premiums. This plan ensured the employer bore majority of the payment burden, 80% to be exact. Other industries that were to finance the NHI plan included increased tobacco taxes and substantial Medicare and Medicaid savings. The political circumstance at the time of this reform was that the policy was too ambitious for the country to undertake. Proper analysis of all sectors the reform policy was to affect would have suffered tremendously. The President was also too enthusiastic as a new president with dreams and hopes of making changes that appealed to him (Lambert, 2010). The 1974 reform failed because of a weakened presidency arising from the impeachment of Nixon. His removal left the policy without a custodian who would see it through. The country had to focus on other political concerns like replacing the vacant presidential seat. The reform policy faded from the limelight. Failure of the reform in 1994 was as a result of unsupportive peculiar interest groups for example, the tobacco industry which would suffer undesirable consequences with its implementation (Harry, 2010). The circumstances that lead to the enactment of legislation include support of the policy by the public and the congress. The public gives their approval of a policy through the media by giving their opinions. Implementation of policies occurs after approval from both the Senate and the Lower house of representatives. The required number consists of two-third of the representatives (Harry, 2010). Today many people are able to access healthcare despite their low income wages due to implementation of reform policies that are successful like the Medicare and Medicaid policies. Continuous positive feedback from the people has allowed policies to be retained with extremely limited alterations made to them (Williams, 2011). Negative outcomes of such policies include an inflated estimated annual budget for the entire country. The government has been forced to tap to several reserves to meet the high costs. The public has also suffered financially by having to pay higher taxes to meet the shortfall which the government cannot sort. Public outcry has been witnessed all over the country. People disapprove of current policies claiming they have worsened their financial woes since they have had to pay more taxes (Lambert, 2010). In conclusion, public policy making is a vital process in a nation. It allows for change to occur where necessary through revision of past reforms or implementation of new ones. Feedback gotten during the process guides the legislature on whether a policy is worth being retained. The discussion above on Health Care reform policies is a glimpse of how the public policy making happens. Progress in a country can only be realized through a system of trial and error offered by such a system (Lambert, 2010) References CCH Incorporated, W. K. (2010). Law, explanation and analysis of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: including Reconciliation Act impact, Volume 1. New York: CCH Incorporated. Copeland, C. W. (2011). Upcoming Rules Pursuant to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). New York: DIANE Publishing. Elmendorf, D. W. (2005). Selected CBO Publications Related to Health Care Legislation, 2009-2010. Washington: DIANE Publishing. Foster, S. R. ( 2010). Estimated Effects of the 'Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,' as Passed by the U. S. Senate on December 24 2009. New Jersey: DIANE Publishing. Harris, T. F. ( 2011). Health Care Coverage and Financing in the United States. New York: ACTEX Publications. Harry A. Sultz, K. M. (2010). Health Care USA. New York: Jones & Bartlett Learning . Henderson, J. W. (2011). Health Economics and Policy. New York: Cengage Learning. House, C. o. (2008). Compilation of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Washington: Government Printing Office. Lambert, S. M. (2010). Patient Protection and Affordable Care ACT. New York: Muller AG & Co.Kg. Mark O Dietrich, G. D. (2012). The Financial Professional's Guide to Healthcare Reform. California: John Wiley and Sons. Vivar, L. M. (2011). Obama’s Health Care Reform 2010: From Change to Concession?: Health Care Reform as an Example for Structural Resistance of the American Political System to Needed Change. Washington: GRIN Verlag. Williams, R. A. (2011). Healthcare Disparities at the Crossroads with Healthcare Reform. California : Springer. Read More