The following summary of the Obama Healthcare reform is posted on “Nursing Influence.” The author is cited below. In order to view responses click on the link below:
http://nursinginfluence.com/obamas-healthcare-reform/
Positives in Obama’s Healthcare Reform
- Insurance for those people who have “pre-existing conditions” (someone with cancer cannot be denied healthcare coverage because of the known cost of the treatment)
- Reduction of the “donut hole” for seniors’ prescriptions (greatly reduces the cost of seniors’ medications)
- Expanded eligibility for medicaid coverage (more people will be able to sign up for medicaid assistance)
- Reduction in Medicare co-pays for preventative care (cheaper co-pays to allow/encourage people to get preventative care, such as regular check-ups, vaccinations, and cancer screenings)
- Children can stay on their parents’ insurance until their 27th birthday (reduces the number of young adults without health insurance)
But, as you take some time to read into what each of these points mean, you may see some not-so-great pieces.
Negatives in Obama’s Healthcare Reform
- Reduction in medicare payments to hospitals/physicians (meaning that hospitals/physicians may stop accepting medicare patients and patients may have a difficult time finding a provider)
- Families who currently have insurance coverage may see an increase in their deductibles (as insurers are required to cover everyone, even people with preexisting conditions, their costs will go up, as will the cost to the consumer)
- The fine for people who elect not to have health insurance (proposed at approximately $700/year) may not be enough “encouragement” for healthy people to purchase insurance. Insurance will generally cost more than $700/year for these consumers, so it may be cheaper to elect to forgo coverage, which negates the benefit of having everyone insured.
- The changes require individual states to continue or expand existing programs to receive matching federal funds. Coming from someone who lives in a state with an intense budget crisis, I don’t see how adding to each state’s budget is feasible at this time. Governor Brewer wrote a letter to President Obama after the healthcare bill was signed, outlining the issues that the reform will create for Arizona. (Governor Brewers Letter pdf)
· Amy Sellers, RN BSN CCRN CSC
Amy is a cardiovascular ICU nurse in the valley of Phoenix, Arizona. She graduated in 2006 from a liberal arts university in Illinois with her bachelors in nursing (BSN). After graduation, she moved to the southwest to start her career in a warmer climate.
Over the past 4 years, she has gained her CCRN and CSC certifications through AACN, become a preceptor to new graduate nurses, and has started work as a relief charge nurse in the CVICU. She has recently taken on the role of a clinical instructor for a local community