Legislation Comparison Grid Template

Use this document to complete Part 1 of the Module 2 Assessment Legislation Comparison Grid and Testimony/Advocacy Statement

Health-related Bill Name
Description
Federal or State?
Legislative Intent
Target Population
Status of the bill (Is it in hearings or committees? Is it receiving press coverage?)
General Notes/Comments

Legislation Comparison Grid Template

Politics and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Regardless of political affiliation, individuals often grow concerned when considering perceived competing interests of government and their impact on topics of interest to them. The realm of healthcare is no different. Some people feel that local, state, and federal policies and legislation can be either helped or hindered by interests other than the benefit to society.

 

The suppliers of legislative benefits are legislators, and their primary goal is to be re-elected. Thus, legislators need to maximize their chances for re-election, which requires political support. Legislators are assumed to be rational and to make cost-benefit calculations when faced with demands for legislation. However, the legislator’s cost-benefit calculations are not the cost-benefits to society of enacting particular legislation. Instead, the benefits are the additional political support the legislator would receive from supporting legislation and the lost political support they would incur as a result of their action. When the benefit to legislators (positive political support) exceeds their costs (negative political support) they will support legislation. (page 27)

 

Source: Feldstein, P. (2006). The politics of health legislation: An economic perspective (3rd ed.). Chicago, IL: Health Administration Press.

 

To Prepare:

 

Review the Resources and reflect on efforts to repeal/replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Consider who benefits the most when policy is developed and in the context of policy implementation.

 

Post an explanation for how you think the cost-benefit analysis in the statement from page 27 of Feldstein (2006) affected efforts to repeal/replace the ACA. Then, explain how analyses such as the one portrayed by the Feldstein statement may affect decisions by legislative leaders in recommending or positioning national policies (e.g., Congress’ decisions impacting Medicare or Medicaid).

NURS 6050 Assignment: Legislation Comparison Grid and Testimony

 

 

MORE INFO 

Politics and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Introduction

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is a health care law passed by Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010. The Affordable Care Act was designed to make health insurance more affordable for everyone, including people who aren’t yet eligible for Medicare or don’t have access to employer-sponsored coverage. The law also establishes new requirements for insurance companies, both at the federal and state levels, requiring them to provide better benefits at lower costs.

The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Affordable Care Act on June 28, 2012.

The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Affordable Care Act on June 28, 2012. The individual mandate was constitutional under Congress’s taxing power, but not a tax. It also found that Medicaid expansion was constitutional under Congress’s spending power.

Why was the Affordable Care Act challenged in the Supreme Court?

The Affordable Care Act was challenged in the Supreme Court because it was passed as a tax. The Supreme Court ruled that the Affordable Care Act was constitutional because it was a tax and therefore Congress could pass it under its power to regulate interstate commerce.

The individual mandate is also considered an essential part of the law, so it’s important for you to understand why this provision has been upheld by courts throughout our country:

As you may have noticed from these two sections (and many others), there are many reasons why your healthcare insurance needs can be met through private providers or public programs like Medicare or Medicaid—but one thing remains true: most Americans cannot afford their own health care without taking on debt!

In what ways did the Affordable Care Act change how Americans buy health insurance?

The Affordable Care Act requires all Americans to have health insurance. It also requires that all insurers offer coverage to everyone who applies, regardless of their health status or history. In addition, the law puts limits on how much insurance companies can charge for policies with high deductibles and other out-of-pocket expenses (such as co-pays).

In addition to these basic requirements, the Affordable Care Act lays out a few specific standards for what type of coverage you should get from your plan:

• You must be able to receive care without worrying about being charged an exorbitant amount for it; this means that your insurer’s rates cannot be higher than several percent above average costs in its area.* You need access to comprehensive benefits at reasonable prices; this means that if something goes wrong with one part of your body—like an injury or illness—you should not face financial hardship because someone else will not cover those costs.* Your insurer must provide coverage only when recommended by doctors based on current medical knowledge.*

How many people were covered by health insurance because of the Affordable Care Act?

How many people were covered by health insurance because of the Affordable Care Act?

The 2010 Census showed that approximately 30 million Americans lacked health insurance at some point during the year. This is a huge number, but it’s not even close to all of us who are uninsured. Another way to look at this number is by comparing it with Medicaid enrollment as measured in 2011—the most recent year for which we have data on both populations:

• Approximately 5% of Americans have no employer-sponsored coverage; 2) Approximately 33% have individual market plans through an exchange or their state; 3) Approximately 12% have employer-sponsored plans and do not qualify for Medicaid due to income requirements (or other reasons); 4) The remaining 62% are covered through other means such as Medicare Part D or TRICARE/CHAMPUS; 5) Together these groups equal approximately 69 million Americans (in total).

What happens if a state chooses not to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act?

If a state chooses not to expand Medicaid, it will have fewer people covered and will have less money for healthcare. The state could also face a higher burden for the cost of its Medicaid program if it continues without any changes in eligibility requirements or benefits.

How does Obamacare affect pregnant women?

Obamacare does not cover pregnant women.

This is because pregnancy itself is considered a pre-existing condition under the law, meaning that you can’t buy insurance if you’ve ever been pregnant or had more than one child. However, there are exceptions to this rule: Women who were pregnant in the past can still be covered by an insurance plan if their doctors certify that they’re healthy enough to be able to take care of themselves and their babies (and no longer need maternity coverage). Also, women who become pregnant while on maternity leave will continue receiving employer-provided health benefits until they give birth; however, they’ll need to pay back any premiums that were paid during those months—something many employers may not want them doing after giving up so much time off work!

What is a public option for healthcare?

A public option is a government-run healthcare program that allows for individuals to buy insurance through the government, instead of private insurers. The government would contract with health insurance companies and provide them with funds to cover the costs of providing these policies.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) contained an amendment that would have created such a plan, but it was vetoed by President Obama in 2010 due to concerns over whether such a program could be affordable or efficient enough to serve as a viable alternative to private insurers.

What is Medicare for All?

Medicare for All is a single-payer health care system, which means that the government pays for all healthcare costs. Under this system, everyone would be covered by health insurance.

What does “Medicare for All” mean?

It means you get your insurance through Medicare and not through an employer or private company.

The Affordable Care Act has become a major political issue.

If you’ve been following politics in the United States, you might have heard of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This is a major part of Barack Obama’s domestic agenda, and it was passed by Congress on March 23rd 2010.

The ACA has been controversial since its inception because it requires everyone to buy health insurance or face fines. Conservatives have tried to repeal this law since its passage; however, Republicans haven’t had much success doing so because many Democrats also support keeping it intact as well as many Republican senators who are afraid that repealing this law could increase costs for consumers without providing any clear alternative plan for replacing lost coverage with something equally beneficial and affordable.

In 2017 President Trump signed an executive order that would weaken some parts of Obamacare but made no mention about repealing or improving upon other elements like Medicaid expansion which provides low-income families with subsidized expansion services like dental care screenings etcetera.”

Conclusion

With the upcoming congressional elections, the Affordable Care Act will continue to be a major political issue. The United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of the law on June 28, 2012 and now Americans must wait for its effects to be felt. It’s clear that this landmark legislation is having an impact on many aspects of life in America today, from health insurance costs and access to affordable care options for everyone. We hope this article has provided you with some insight into how it affects your life!