Politics and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
Title Politics and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
(Teachers Discussion board question) Post an explanation for how you think the cost-benefit analysis in terms of legislators being reelected affected efforts to repeal/replace the ACA. Then, explain how analyses of the votes views may affect decisions by legislative leaders in recommending or positioning national policies (e.g., Congress’ decisions impacting Medicare or Medicaid). Remember, the number one job of a legislator is to be re-elected. Please check your discussion grading rubric to ensure your responses meet the criteria.
(Students respond to teachers discussion board question)
Most Americans are not overly bothered with replacing or repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Americans are concerned with what happens, after all, is said and done? Will they still have affordable health care coverage? Will they have to pay out of pocket to get the care they deserve and need? Lastly, will they still be able to afford their medications? These are the burning questions on the minds of many Americans. This issue goes beyond vote counting for most Americans; it is about retaining healthcare coverage, preserving jobs, and businesses. Healthcare providers are mostly concerned with the costs of uncompensated care and how they can provide the best care possible to their patients without health insurance restraints (Nuzum, 2017). Whereas legislators are concerned about reelection. Legislators are mostly politicians who were elected by the people of the state; therefore, reelection is of utmost importance to them. Cost-benefit analysis in terms of legislators being reelected affected efforts to repeal or replace the ACA, in the sense that replacing or repealing the Affordable Care Act will cost tax paying Americans millions of dollars and if a replacement for the ACA is not initiated immediately; it will lead to many Americans without adequate or zero health insurance. However, some Americans would prefer to let sleeping dogs lie and adjust here and there to the ACA, but others prefer to repeal or replace it. This imbalance is the reason why there is a delay in the replacement of the ACA. The Affordable Care Act was enacted by Obama’s administration to enable those with low income to obtain health insurance and receive the care they need. If the ACA was repealed and replaced without a significant health care reform in place, millions of Americans, especially those with low income, will be at risk for health problems and will have to pay out of pocket for medical expenses they cannot afford.
Moreover, “The ultimate outcome of repealing and replacing the ACA is uncertain. However, essential health benefits will continue to be a target of Republican health-reform attempts. As repeal-and-replace efforts persist, the EHBs face three main challenges: (1) regulatory implementation of the EHBs, (2) struggling individual and small-group markets in many state insurance exchanges, and (3) the Trump administration’s push for selling health insurance across state lines” ( Willison, 2017). Essential health benefits are particularly crucial to Americans, no matter the outcome of the ACA.
Furthermore, analysis of voters views have a significant effect on the decisions made by legislative leaders in recommending or positioning national policies. The goal of every legislative leader is to get reelected, therefore national policies are recommended and positioned based on public votes that will favor their reelection. Moreover, the main reason why the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has not been replaced or repealed is because the public vote against its replacement is enormous (ASTHO, 2017). The importance of voting right can never be overemphasized; voting for the right legislative leader gives us the right to adequate healthcare as much as it gives them the right for reelection; it is a win-win situation.
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