Access to quality and prompt healthcare is a fundamental human right issue that all Americans should enjoy and uphold. Notably, most Americans still depend on out-of-pocket payments to fund their medical expenses because of the lack of comprehensive insurance coverage (Griffith, Evans, & Bor, 2017). The Affordable Care Act is a universal healthcare law that guarantees equal and cheap care services to all Americans. ACA’s fundamental implication includes reducing the number of uninsured Americans, expanding Medicaid, and subsidizing health insurance premiums.
The most critical ACA elements in relation to community and public health include affordability and accessibility. The law has expanded Medicaid and ensured higher quality services for American families from diverse demographic backgrounds. ACA also gives vulnerable and impoverished Americans the right to receive cheap and quality treatment for preexisting conditions (Griffith et al., 2017). Another benefit of the health care law is that it provides citizens with premium tax credits lowering the general cost of health care for poor households.
The execution of the ACA provisions is a fundamental issue in the U.S. health care system. Nursing professionals are responsible for discharging ACA in different care settings. For instance, they should facilitate the efficient utilization of the resources needed to execute the ACA provisions (Gaffney & McCormick, 2017). Moreover, insurance providers must involve other healthcare practitioners in promoting the stipulated changes and reforms proposed under ACA among patients through evidence-based and patient-centered care.
The implementation of the landmark law also requires the input of other nursing professionals, such as care managers, clinical coordinators, and informatics experts who can examine and integrate various evidence-based interventions. They should also observe core professional standards and competency to facilitate the successful implementation of the law. Nurses should avoid any form of discrimination based on race, socio-economic status, or age when implementing the ACA requirements. Overall, health care practitioners should offer proper nursing education on the significance of the law.
In conclusion, the fundamental implication of the Affordable Care Act is that it has made health insurance more accessible and affordable to all Americans. For instance, ACA has improved Medicaid coverage for most impoverished Americans living below the federal poverty line. Older Americans can access more screening services and cheaper prescription drugs under the extended Medicaid program. Subsidized health insurance premiums also allowed more uninsured Americans from different socio-economic and demographic backgrounds to receive affordable and quality health care services.
References
Gaffney, A., & McCormick, D. (2017). The Affordable Care Act: Implications for health care equity. The Lancet, 389(10077), 1442-1452. Web.
Griffith, K., Evans, L., & Bor, J. (2017). The Affordable Care Act reduced socio-economic disparities in health care access. Health Affairs, 36(8), 1503-1510. Web.