Health Insurance Articles
How The Health Care Legislation Has Changed In The Last Year
2011-08-07
Health care has been a hotly talked about topic in the last couple of decades, more so in just the last few years. One of the main points of discussion is the impact a public health insurance policy will have on the entire industry. People on both sides of the argument have valid points, but what really matters in the end is providing the best health care to American citizens possible. The public option became a reality in 2010 when President Obama set forth his health care legislation that was ultimately signed into law. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) changed the health care industry in the United States almost completely, with the bill's initiatives rolling out over the next few years until 2015. Changes stemming from the ACA have already been seen in just the last year.
The cost for each health insurance policy has been on the rise for the last few years for a number of reasons. The overall cost to insure each American has risen dramatically and so has the cost for medical research, equipment manufacturing and medicines. The new health care legislation was created in order to relieve both the industry and consumers of these high costs. Some of these changes have already occurred while others will roll out in the next couple of years.
The government has already made it possible for states to cover more people on Medicaid, the program responsible for providing health care to low income families. Funds have been provided to various states so that they're able to provide this coverage without having to spend extra dollars from their budget. This is great news for many low income families who were unable to apply or qualify for Medicaid because states just didn't have the necessary funding to place additional families on their lists.
Senior citizens on Medicare have also seen some relief coming from Affordable Care Act initiatives. Many seniors have hit the prescription drug "donut hole" which limits or totally restricts them from purchasing more medications on Medicare dollars. The government subsequently sent out refund checks in the amount of $250 (a onetime refund) to seniors in order to help them pay for necessary prescriptions.
Health care fraud has also been a focus for the government in health care legislation. New resources and funding have been allocated specifically to catch and stop health care fraud. This fraud has cost the industry billions of dollars and through their new efforts, some of that money has been returned to Medicare, Medicaid and other programs. The legislation now in place is meant to protect both providers and consumers, lowering the cost of care and increasing care.
