Demand for Healthcare-Nursing Paper Examples

Demand for Healthcare

Healthcare insurance coverage has been linked to improved healthcare outcomes and is a crucial measure of healthcare access. Since its passage, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has improved healthcare access and quality. In addition, reduced health disparities in the United States. Despite the decrease in uninsured individuals after ACA, racial and ethnic health disparities still exist. Education, age, employment status, marital status, and poverty level also influence health insurance among Americans. This paper describes effective health insurance coverage rates to assess and develop federal and state health insurance policies and programs (Demand for Healthcare).

The National Health Statistics Report revealed 31.6 million (9.7%) Americans of all ages were uninsured in 2020. Among the uninsured individuals, 11.5% (31.2 million) were under 65. Among adults, 13.9% (27.5 million) and 5% (3.7 million) of children were uninsured (Amy & Robin, 2022). cONSEQUENTLY, Among working-aged adults, 8.7% were uninsured for one year or more, double that of 4% for less than a year. However, the percentage of children uninsured for one year or more (2.3%) was almost the same for those uninsured for less than one year (2.0%). The results imply that working-aged adults were likely uninsured compared to children among Americans in 2020.

However, the number of uninsured Americans decreased in 2021, with more people gaining health insurance coverage compared to 2020. About 27.2 million (8.3%) Americans were uninsured throughout 2021. Private health insurance programs were prevalent (66.0%) compared to public health insurance programs (35.7%). The percentage of children under 19 without health insurance coverage was 5.0%, while the percentage of adults was 11.6% among Americans in 2021 (Demand for Healthcare).

In adults and children, non-Hispanics, Whites, and Native-born Americans record the least uninsured cases compared to Hispanics, Asians, Blacks, foreign-born, and non-citizens in 2020 and 2021 (Keisler-Starkey & Bunch, 2022). For instance, Whites and non-Hispanics recorded 3.4% uninsured rates compared to Hispanics (8.6%) in 2021. Lack of employment, poor education, and poverty were the major causes of the differences (Demand for Healthcare).

Notably, the United States’ uninsured rates declined in late 2021, reaching an all-time low of 8.0% in 2022. Among working-aged adults, the rate of uninsured was 11.8%, while that for children under 17 years was 3.7% in early 2022. The Commonwealth Fund (2022) Biennial Health Insurance Survey revealed that 43 % of working-aged adults were uninsured by the end of 2022, 9% had no insurance, 11% had an insurance gap 23% were underinsured since their insurance did not provide them with affordable care. The significant rise in health insurance coverage among Americans from 2020 to 2022 arises from policies to support health insurance expansion in President Biden’s Administration (Demand for Healthcare).

The New York State Health Insurance Exchange ensures its residents’ access to affordable, quality care through suitable coverage plans. The enrollment for 2023 began from November 16, 2022, to January 31, 2023, where about 221895 individuals have enrolled for private individual market plans (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2023). Subsequently, about 212580 individuals enrolled in private plans for 2023. More than 1.1 million people also enrolled in New York’s Essential Plan, a Basic Health Program. Hence, allowing eligible residents to enroll via the New York Exchange (Demand for Healthcare).

The rise of healthcare spending is sustainable and contributes to federal spending. The rising aging American population, not to mention the COVID-19 pandemic, has led to increased federal healthcare spending. Healthcare consumed about 20% of America’s budget in 2000, that later raised to 28% by 2017, leading to increased spending thus, deficits. Federal spending is expected to increase by 40% of the total U.S. budget by 2040, likely increasing the Federal deficit rates. Comprehensive healthcare insurance coverage plans will provide affordable and quality care and reduce the Federal deficit caused by massive health spending (Demand for Healthcare).

References

Amy, E. & Robin, A.C. (2022). Demographic Variation in Health Insurance Coverage: United States, 2020. National Health Statistics Reports. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr169.pdf

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (2023). Marketplace Open Enrollment Period Public Use Files. Retrieved from https://www.cms.gov/research-statistics-data-systems/marketplace-products/2022-marketplace-open-enrollment-period-public-use-files

Keisler-Starkey, K. & Bunch, L.N. (2022). Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2021. Current Population Reports. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2022/demo/p60-278.pdf

The Commonwealth Fund. (2022). The State of U.S. Health Insurance in 2022. Retrieved from https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2022/sep/state-us-health-insurance-2022-biennial-survey/