Discussion 2-The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act-Nursing Paper Examples

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act focuses on establishing health insurance exchanges in different states. In this case, Health insurance exchanges are virtual marketplaces where people can access information. In addition, affordable and quality health insurance (Courtemanche et al., 2020).

Small business owners, employees, and consumers can also shop and purchase private health insurance connected to public health insurance programs like Medicaid. Most importantly, insurance exchanges provide a website where consumers compare and purchase coverage and determine eligibility for specific coverage. Exchanges also offer assistance and administrative roles, such as clarifying care plans in the marketplace (Patient Protection and Affordable Care).

The New York State has two exchange policies: individual exchanges and small business health options program (SHOP) exchanges. Consumers eligible for an individual exchange policy shop and purchase health insurance care plans for themselves and their families within their state. Consumers are eligible if they reside in the state’s exchange, are not incarcerated, and are lawfully US citizens (Patient Protection and Affordable Care).

Of importance, the consumers can apply for cost-sharing subsidies and Premium Tax Credits. On the contrary, the SHOP exchange allows small businesses to shop, compare, and purchase small-group health insurance that is also eligible for health insurance tax credits. Notably, employees of small businesses can enroll in plans provided by employers in a SHOP exchange (Patient Protection and Affordable Care).

Notably, the costs for exchange insurance are different. Although it is not always the case, individual exchange-based health insurance plans are cheaper than group health insurance plans. Ideally, the cost difference varies with the coverage type and carrier. In this case, exchanges that do not include premium tax credit discounts are relatively cheaper (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act).

The common challenges the beneficiaries face are racial, ethnic, and disability-based disparities. Health insurance coverage is limited for working adults from minority racial and ethnic groups, not to mention those with disabilities, as they have low workforce participation rates. The mentioned reason leads to limited access to quality and affordable healthcare services for the minority and persons with disability (Patient Protection and Affordable Care).

Reference

Courtemanche, C., Marton, J., Ukert, B., Yelowitz, A., & Zapata, D. (2020). The impact of the Affordable Care Act on healthcare access and self‐assessed health in the Trump Era (2017‐2018). Health services research, 55, 841-850.