Contemporary Health Care Issue: The Affordable Care Act
Contemporary Health Care Issue: The Affordable Care Act
Mary Kennedy
Grand Canyon University
HCA 530
Healthcare Policies and Economics
Professor Steve Klense
Contemporary Health Care Issue: The Affordable Care Act
Introduction
More than 45 million Americans are uninsured. Even those that do have health insurance often face financial and other barriers when getting healthcare. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) removes most of these financial barriers (Kocher, Emanuel, & DeParle, 2010). The ACA guarantees access to healthcare and creates new incentives to change clinical practice, but some might be surprised to learn that the financial price tag attached goes beyond healthcare costs and taxes which all Americans will pay for costs associated with the ACA are passed (Unknown, 2012).
Differences in How Organizations are Impacted
No matter if a corporation is for profit or not for profit the new Affordable Care Act (ACA) will have a significant impact. From the employers’ perspective, the ACA has provisions that mandated the expansion of dependent coverage and removed the lifetime dollar limits on overall benefits in 2010. All employers, either profit or not for profit, are subject to this play or pay requirement in the ACA that begins in 2014 and business’ that have 50 or more employees will no longer be able to develop health benefits coverage for their employees that keep their costs down (Wojcik, 2013).
Employers have to start looking at the health insurance plans they offer to see if the plans stand the test in order to avoid penalties. Under the ACA, the plans offered by employers have to be comprehensive and affordable. Additionally, the plan defines full time employee for the purpose of this provision and the determinations based on how often, how long and how consistently the employee works 30 hours or more. The method includes a look back measurement period of three months to one year and average the hours to determine if the employer has to
Mary Kennedy
Grand Canyon University
HCA 530
Healthcare Policies and Economics
Professor Steve Klense
Contemporary Health Care Issue: The Affordable Care Act
Introduction
More than 45 million Americans are uninsured. Even those that do have health insurance often face financial and other barriers when getting healthcare. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) removes most of these financial barriers (Kocher, Emanuel, & DeParle, 2010). The ACA guarantees access to healthcare and creates new incentives to change clinical practice, but some might be surprised to learn that the financial price tag attached goes beyond healthcare costs and taxes which all Americans will pay for costs associated with the ACA are passed (Unknown, 2012).
Differences in How Organizations are Impacted
No matter if a corporation is for profit or not for profit the new Affordable Care Act (ACA) will have a significant impact. From the employers’ perspective, the ACA has provisions that mandated the expansion of dependent coverage and removed the lifetime dollar limits on overall benefits in 2010. All employers, either profit or not for profit, are subject to this play or pay requirement in the ACA that begins in 2014 and business’ that have 50 or more employees will no longer be able to develop health benefits coverage for their employees that keep their costs down (Wojcik, 2013).
Employers have to start looking at the health insurance plans they offer to see if the plans stand the test in order to avoid penalties. Under the ACA, the plans offered by employers have to be comprehensive and affordable. Additionally, the plan defines full time employee for the purpose of this provision and the determinations based on how often, how long and how consistently the employee works 30 hours or more. The method includes a look back measurement period of three months to one year and average the hours to determine if the employer has to
References: Internal Revenue Service 2013 Affordable Care Act Tax ProvisionInternal Revenue Service (2013, May). Affordable Care Act Tax Provision. Retrieved May 18, 2013, from http://www.irs.gov/uac/Affordable-Care_Act_Tax-Provisions 201305182104171796095729 Jacobs L R 2011 America 's critical juncture: the affordable care act and its reverberations.Jacobs, L. R. (2011). America 's critical juncture: the affordable care act and its reverberations. Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law, 36(3), 625-631. 20130519091607898155570 Kasprak N A 2013 Tax FoundationKasprak, N. A. (n.d.). Tax Foundation. Retrieved May 18, 2013, from http://www.interactive.taxfoundation.org/healthcare 201305182100001215019703 Kocheer R Emanuel E J DeParle N M 2010 affordable care act and the future of clinical medicine: the opportunities and challenges.Kocher, R., Emanuel, E. J., & DeParle, N. M. (2010). The affordable care act and the future of clinical medicine: the opportunities and challenges. Annuals of Internal Medicine, 153(8), 536-539. 201305182035111884104372 Manchikanti L Caraway D Parr A T Fellows B Hirsch J A 2011 Patient protection and affordable care act of 2010: Reforming the health care reform for the new decade.Manchikanti, L., Caraway, D., Parr, A. T., Fellows, B., & Hirsch, J. A. (2011). Patient protection and affordable care act of 2010: Reforming the health care reform for the new decade. Pain Physician Journal, 14, E35-E67. 201305190927201135268450 Miller S 2012 FICA 's bite: Wages subject to social security tax to increase in 2013Miller, S. (2012, October). FICA 's bite: Wages subject to social security tax to increase in 2013. Retrieved May 19, 2013, from http://www.shrm.org/hrdisciplines/compensation/articles/pages/fica-social-security-tax-2013.aspx 20130519095012465006470 Unknown 201207 What the affordable care act means for youUnknown (2012, July). What the affordable care act means for you (189225_236426). New York, New York: Wealth Management Group. 20130519113509556023001 Wojcik S E 2013 Implementing the patient protection and affordability act: the time is now.Wojcik, S. E. (2013). Implementing the patient protection and affordability act: the time is now. Benefits Quarterly, second quarter, 30-33. 201305181947271047316790