The Effects of Health Care Reform on Women and Children in America - Assignment Example

Position Paper Health Care Reforms for Women and Children in America: Greater Emphasis is Required for the Vulnerable Groups Introduction The three main areas of health care reform are: quality of care, equality of access and cost efficiency. Medicare and Medicaid, the focus of American health care activity from the mid-1990s, developed new programs to improve managed care, insurance coverage, and extension of insurance coverage to children (Patel & Rushefsky, 2006). The position taken in this paper is that it is essential to adequately meet the health care needs of children and women of various age groups including older, senior, younger women and those who are pregnant. Health care reforms should achieve universal and comprehensive insurance coverage, control cost, help purchasers, and add value (Zirkelbach, 2008), prevent the wastage of resources, and use an integrated approach. The exigence or urgency of the issue fuels the implementation of health care reform, to fulfill the needs of the vulnerable sections of society. The above type of claim is identified as: Claim of Policy. This refers to the fact that the future course of action regarding health care reform for women and children has to be through further policy changes, which should be appropriately implemented. Discussion The claim or position of this paper is that children and women are a vulnerable group who require adequate reforms in health care provision, for improved quality of life. There is a requirement for controlling cost, assisting consumers, adding value, achieving universal coverage (Zirkelbach, 2008), and preventing wastage of funds and resources, for meeting the needs of children and women, including older and senior women. Moreover, an integrated approach to implementing the reform measures, along with mutual information sharing is considered essential. From the reduction of welfare rolls and the implementation of welfare reforms have emerged increasing numbers of uninsured children. This vulnerable and important group need Medicaid coverage on priority; children being relatively inexpensive to provide health care insurance, and also benefit from coverage, besides having a right to expect special consideration by virtue of their vulnerability (Patel & Rushefsky, 2006; Shi & Singh, 2007). Similarly, older, senior women and poor, pregnant women are high risk and vulnerable groups for whom reform measures need to be improved. Lack of insurance prevents pregnant women from seeking prenatal care, leading to decline in the health of both the infant and the mother, and increased possibility of infant mortality. Children from low-income families are eligible for public care. Though reforms in Medicaid help families in poverty, they may not provide health care access over long periods of time. Because of constraints in the flow of funds from state revenues, limits are placed on the provision of health care services, on enrollment of beneficiaries to the scheme, and restrictions on treatment options (Arrighi & Maume, 2007). Hence, it is advisable to reduce wastage of resources, and provide sustainable medical facilities in greater numbers to reach all regions, to improve accessibility for women and children. Cost-Control, Helping Consumers, Adding Value and Universal Coverage A comprehensive health care reform proposal helps to improve the quality of health care, to bring everyone into the system, and to reduce the growth of health care costs. Controlling cost was a primary objective. To achieve a financially sustainable and affordable health care system, underlying medical costs had to be countered. “If health care costs are allowed to continue rising at rates far exceeding economic growth, they will thwart all efforts to improve coverage and care” (Zirkelbach, 2008). Congress is being urged to set a high target of 30% reduction of future growth in health care costs, over the next five years. The current growth rate is projected at 6.6%, which could result in a total savings of $500 billion over the next five years. A new advisory group would provide objective, independent recommendations to reduce health care costs. For helping consumers and purchasers it is essential to avoid duplication of administrative and regulatory responsibilities, and to reform insurance market rules for people to access affordable coverage. These reforms should be combined with measures that provide one-stop access to insurance coverage options, so that all medical provisions are available under one roof, and at easily accessible locations. Further, consistent information on quality and cost of care need to be given. An affordable “essential benefits plan” not subject to different and conflicting state benefit mandates is necessary, for prevention as well as acute and chronic care, and those going through job transitions, to help them maintain health care insurance coverage. The reform measure would also help protect low income individuals such as women and children and working families, from medical bankruptcy, through provision of tax credits to individuals participating in cost sharing (Zirkelbach, 2008). Towards achieving universal coverage rising costs would be addressed, insurance market rules would be reformed, and the value of care delivery would be enhanced; all these measures would provide all Americans with and without health care insurance, affordable coverage for the future. The health care safety net should also be enhanced, making “every uninsured American living in poverty and strengthening the Children’s Health Insurance Program” (Zirkelbach, 2008). For adding value, America must develop a 21st century system in which primary care, wellness, and prevention of illness are encouraged, “quality and effectiveness are rewarded, and administrative efficiency is achieved” (Zirkelbach, 2008). Health plans help to streamline administrative processes, and to invest in specific goals related to the public health infrastructure. Reform helps to refocus the health care system on keeping people healthy, taking measures early, providing integrated care, using uniform standards, and undertaking research for planning future treatments for optimal outcomes, both for the nation as a whole, and for vulnerable groups. Integrated Approach to Implementing the Reform Measures Rising health care costs and increasingly inadequate health insurance is adversely affecting all Americans; however the 17 million older women in the age group of 55 to 64 years, and the 21 million senior women aged 65 years and older in America have “unique situations and health care needs that make them particularly susceptible to rising costs” (HealthReform.gov, 2009, p.1). The older and senior women are at the period in their lives when requirement for accessible, affordable health care is high. With the help of health insurance reform, these hurdles will be removed to ensure that this section of society, along with other Americans, obtain good quality health care. Reform measures that help resolve the high cost of health care faced by older and senior women include: providing premium assistance to make treatment affordable, and creating limits on the health care expenses that people pay out of pocket. Among this group, there is loss of employer-sponsored insurance, hence reform should guarantee that a woman will be given a choice of quality, affordable health insurance under all circumstances of retirement, sickness, job switch, or if spouse joins Medicare. Health insurance reform should also ascertain that there should be no discrimination based on health status or gender, and should place a limit to the extent to which premiums can vary by age. Further, consumer protection should ensure portable health insurance options, for flexibility in making life decisions, which would entail losing their current employer-sponsored plan (HealthReform.gov, 2009). Other reform measures include: preventive, high quality care; making Medicare financially sound and affordable through lower premiums and extending the life of the Medicare trust fund; provision of preventive services at no cost; the drug industry to provide seniors with a discount of at least 50 percent for some medication costs, ensuring and improving access to health care providers through eliminating the 21 percent physician payment cut; ensuring access to Medicare at rural and underserved locations; making high-quality, affordable long-term care a reality; and improving coverage for prevention. Other essential reforms are improving quality through standardizing quality measurement and reporting, investing in patient safety, and rewarding providers for high quality care (HealthReform.gov, 2009). According to Lerner (2009), for optimal results, more than half the women who are uninsured or underinsured should provide support to groups like the National Partnership for Women and Families, the National Women’s Law Center and Moms Rising. These organizations are actively fighting for reform, or are opposing the misrepresentation of women’s experience, and are valuable agencies of assistance. Delay in Reform Measures (about.com, 2009) Health care coverage for children should be comprehensive, providing for their health and development, affordable health care insurance should be available for all children, irrespective of where they live, there should be access to appropriate care, the provision of care should be continuous and effective for the long term, system reform should be undertaken as an inherent part of health care reform, improvement in delivery, quality and integration of health care on a state to state basis should be carried out. Along with successful health care reform, Medicaid’s vital role “in meeting the long term and community-based care needs of children must be continued” (N.A.C.H., 2008). Conclusion This position paper claimed that it is essential to adequately meet the health care needs of children and women, who form a vulnerable section of society. Analysis of the claim, and proofs that supported the claim helped to develop the argument forcefully. The argument or claim of this position paper was based on proofs of three types: ethos or credibility proof, pathos or emotional proof, and logos or logic proof which is persuasion through reasoning. The ethos or credibility proof in the argument was that the effects of health care reform on the women and children is becoming an increasingly crucial issue. This is mainly due to the fact that the numbers of older and senior women, as well as younger, single women are growing steadily, many of them without steady or well-paid jobs with the provision of health insurance. Similarly, children are another vulnerable group without direct access to health care insurance, except through working parents. This indirect access is also greatly reduced during the economic recession, with work place eligibility for insurance becoming increasingly restricted to the employees, and withdrawal of health care insurance for family members. The pathos or emotional proof in the argument related to the hardships faced by the vulnerable group without any recourse to health care facilities. The morbidity and mortality caused by diseases and illnesses that arise in women and children from lack of funds for medical treatment, contributes to the pathos of the argument. Logos or logic proof and persuasion through reasoning includes various factors such as the challenges in the use of funds, appropriate policy formulation and planning of resources, and the implementation of policy. Provision of long-term, sustainable solutions is possible through an integrated approach to implementing health care reforms. References about.com (2009). Health care reform delay: health care editorial cartoon. About.com: Political Humor. Retrieved on 25th October, 2009 from: http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/politicalcartoons/ig/Healthcare-Cartoons/Health-Care-Reform-Delay.0yL0.htm Arrighi, B.A. & Maume, D.J. (2007). Child poverty in America today: Children and the state. The United States of America: Greenwood Publishing Group. HealthReform.gov (2009). Strengthening the health insurance system: How health insurance reform will help America’s older and senior women. Retrieved on 24th October, 2009 from: http://healthreform.gov/reports/seniorwomen/seniorwomenreport.pdf Lerner, S. (August 21, 2009). Why women need health care reform. The Nation. Retrieved on 24th October, 2009 from: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090831/lerner N.A.C.H. (August, 2008). N.A.C.H. Principles for children’s coverage in health care reform. National Association of Children’s Hospitals. Retrieved on 25th October, 2009 from:http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/politicalcartoons/ig/HealthcareCartoons/Health-Care-Reform-Delay.0yL0.htm Patel, K. & Rushefsky, M.E. (2006). Health care politics and policy in America. New York: M.E. Sharpe. Shi, L. & Singh, D.A. (2007). Delivering health care in America: A systems approach. Edition 4. Massachusetts: Jones & Bartlett Publishers. Zirkelbach, R. (December 3, 2008). Health plans offer comprehensive reform proposal. America’s Health Insurance Plans. Retrieved on 24th October, 2009 from: http://www.ahip.org/content/pressrelease.aspx?docid=25126 Read More