Expanding accessibility to affordable healthcare insurance is one way in which our country can begin to increase healthcare that is patient and family centered. One reason for existing disparities are the expenses associated with seeking healthcare. For some people, while the actual monthly payments of their health insurance is affordable, patients still face high deductibles or high out of pocket maximums. By making health insurance attainable for the majority of Americans, this alone is only the first step toward reducing some of the existing health disparities. Money alone is a factor that can deter people from seeking preventive treatment and screenings. I too suspect that the results of the affordable care act will not be seen for a few more years. Hopefully, as more people become insured and as health insurance is more in demand, accessibility and affordability will continue to improve. …show more content…
The author also highlighted that addressing issues concerning unequal availability to healthcare is in imperative in order to reducing health disparities (McHenry, 2012). I think as APNs one thing we can do is make patient aware of what their insurance will cover and what types of services they are eligible for. For many patient, suggested interventions and treatments may be disregarded due to a lack of financial means. In addition to this many people have simply decided not to take advantage of health insurance coverage that is available to
For HCA, to avoid future disparities offering lower prices to existing patients and new patients, who could not afford the services, is a good initiative to not lose patients and therefore not lose profit. Another way to help with the disparities is to set up clinic services to patients who are not able to afford medical assistance at the same time this clinic can provide education to patients on how to better their health and lifestyles. If an organization treats and helps guide a patient he/she will continue to come back to get treated or educated. With this, it will help the organization target disparities, help the community while still making a profit because it retained their
Third, if it is premature to draw conclusions about the cost effects of the ACA, it is doubly so for the quality effects of the law. The reductions in hospital-acquired conditions and Medicare readmissions since the enactment of the ACA are unprecedented and encouraging, but here again, the causes of these favorable trends are uncertain. It may be some time before we can assess the quality effects of this major new legislation. In conclusion, Health care access and insurance coverage are major factors that contributed to racial and ethnic disparities before the ACA implementation (Chen, Vargas-Bustamante, Mortensen, & Ortega, 2016).
People that are at the poverty line can’t afford to pay such high monthly premiums and as a result decline coverage as a choice. We also see the economic concept of self-interest within the article. Often times an imbalance in the health market is created when the younger generation who is usually health doesn’t feel the need to have health coverage. For young folks it is in their self-interest to pay out of pocket only a few times if needed rather than pay monthly premiums. In the end they’ll pay less than they would for having health insurance.
It can be quite prevailing for individuals to have financial problems towards health coverage. Based on the Health Affairs reference, “In the last decade, health insurance premiums costs have increased by 80%... whereas 58% of Americans report they are not able to seek medical attention due to high costs” (Gary Claxton, Matthew Rae, and Nirmita Panchal, et al). Statistics also present many factors exhibiting millions of individuals facing the risk of losing their insurance. Above all, health insurance is a basic health necessity. Medical services being available to everyone will benefit the public health not only with quality, but along with quantity.
Health Care in the US is arguably available to all who seek it but not everybody has had the same experience and treatment when walking through the doors of a healthcare facility. In many cases, people are discriminated against due to their gender, race/ethnicity, age, and income and are often provided with minimal service. Differences between groups in health coverage, access to care, and quality of care is majorly affected through these disparities. Income is a major factor and can cause groups of people to experience higher burden of illness, injury, disability, or mortality relative to another group.
Millions of Americans are constantly reminded of the horrible effects of the Affordable Care Act anytime medical care is required. I have witnessed many families and individuals struggle to cover the extra financial responsibility imposed upon them: Susan Gardiner, a fellow Kroger employee, states her health insurance costs have significantly increased following the approval of the Affordable Care Act; consequently, Ms. Gardiner routinely experiences financial hardships as she requires frequent medical care. Americans simply cannot cope with the Affordable Care Act’s inherent attribute of exorbitant insurance premiums and deductibles. In an attempt to decrease medical costs for an impoverished minority of Americans, the Affordable Care Act,
Individual minorities do not always have the opportunity to see a primary provider because the cost is too significant or rural areas don’t have the means to provide substantial health care locations. In a study conducted by Hayes, Riley, Radley, and McCarthy (2015), Black and Hispanic working adults reported a time in the past year when they could not see a health care provider (HCP) because of cost. The cost of seeking a HCP can be significantly higher for uninsured
46.8 million Americans were reported as uninsured in 2013, which equivocates to one sixth of the population. Those without insurance have revealed that they risk “more problems getting care, are diagnosed at later disease stages, and get less therapeutic care” (National Health Care Disparities Report) and those insured risk losing their insurance. Inadequately covered citizens are often working-class individuals who simply cannot receive insurance due to uncontrollable inconveniences and therefore jeopardize having medical coverage. In these instances, Americans have a chance of being diagnosed with diseases that they had no opportunity to prevent or could not diagnose them at an early stage of the illness. Patients have suffered unnecessarily due to lack of health care, and “18,000 Americans die every year because they don't have health insurance” (PNHP).
all 1). Montero suggests that addressing these issues could help to reduce healthcare costs and make medical care more accessible and affordable for all Americans. Overall, Montero’s article provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges that many Americans face when it comes to paying for healthcare. The author’s insights and recommendations on how to address this issue make the article a
The lack of financial resources can be a big problem to access to health care. The lack of available finance is a barrier to health care for many Americans but access to health care is reduced most among minority populations. The irregular source of care is another reason why access to health is a disparity. Compared to white individuals ethnic or racial minorities are less likely to be able to visit the same doctor on a regular basis and tend to rely more on clinics and emergency rooms (News Medical Life Sciences). 5.
Healthcare is something everyone needs and should be able to get, but right now that is not happening. In America there are millions of people who don’t have healthcare insurance. This is because some can’t afford the insurance plan. There are also millions more who have health insurance, but can’t afford using it. This means that they are paying for an insurance plan, but the deductibles are so high they can’t afford to go to the doctor.
Many Americans were led to believe that the introduction of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2009 would put an end to disparities in health care access. While it did improve the situation for a small percentage of the population there are still many Americans who lack access to good quality health care. Health care access in America is determined by money and those in lower socioeconomic groups frequently tend to miss out on adequate care. In a recent health care report by the national health research foundation Kaiser Family Foundation, it was noted “health care disparities remain a persistent problem in the United States, leading to certain groups being at higher risk of being uninsured, having limited access to care, and experiencing poorer quality of care” (Kaiser Family Foundation). The current health care
I believe healthcare to be one of the single most important aspects for each individual in our society today. Yet, we still have many communities and population groups that lack access to medical care. Being raised in a small town, a majority of the population lacked access to medical care. Whether that be due to the financial strain, or being unsure how to navigate the healthcare system, one thing was for certain: the health of the community and many others like it experienced significant health disparities. My family and I directly experienced some of these hurdles, as we lived in rural and designated medically underserved counties throughout southeast Kansas and Missouri.
This is because poverty creates a significant barrier to accessing quality care. Poverty in the US healthcare system is a critical issue that has numerous implications to individuals and society at large. This article analyzes how poverty impacts individuals’ ability to obtain medical care by focusing on reduced access due to financial barriers. This study also aims to explore all aspects of poverty
The American health care system has undergone drastic change in the last decade with the passing of the affordable health care act. This government policy has helped millions of Americans gain access to health care previously unavailable to them. The affordable health care act has also riven up the price of health care, raised taxes, and overburdened the health care system for those who receive government assisted