The Affordable Care Act was passed on March 23rd, 2010 and is part of the health reform which increases benefits provided by insurance companies. In Wisconsin insurance companies are now required to cover all preventative care, they are prohibited from dropping coverage of those who are diagnosed with costly diseases, they are unable to make an annual or lifetime limit, and soon they will be unable to “discriminate against anyone with a pre-existing condition” (Health care law, n.d., para. 1-2). “ The new law also makes a significant investment in State and community-based efforts that promote public health, prevent disease and protect against public health emergencies” (Health care law, n.d., para. 2). This is just a portion of the new benefits and more will come during the health care reform. This increase in accessibility and increase in preventative treatment and education, in addition to the aging population, is going to call for a major increase in health care workers. In order to meet the near future demands, changes must occur in the way health care is provided. The Institution of Medicine of the National Academics wrote a report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health (IOM report). This report is already, or is going to be impacting nursing practice in general but specifically in primary care, nurse’s role as a leader, nursing education, and on my goals for my future professional practice during the health reform.
The IOM report “examines how enabling nurses to practice to the full extent of their education and training can be a major step forward in meeting these challenges” (Committee on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Initiative on the Future of Nursing, at the Institute of Medicine; Institute of Medicine [IOM], 2011, p. 86). The IOM report also describes how health care needs to change its focus from acute care settings to primary care and preventative care. By
References: Committee on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Initiative on the Future of Nursing, at the Institute of Medicine; Institute of Medicine. (2011). The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. [The National Academies Press]. Retrieved from http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=12956&page=R1 How the health care law is making a difference for the people of wisconsin [Fact Sheet]. (n.d.). Retrieved from HealthCare.gov Website: http://www.healthcare.gov/law/resources/wi.html