Population Health Policy Analysis. Health, Medicine, Nursing Essay

Population Health Policy Analysis
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Population Health Policy Analysis
Policymakers face an enormous task of guaranteeing the most suitable health plans for their citizens. Health plans are inflated with choices meaning that finding an appropriate system that fits the public is a challenge. Moreover, several metrics have to be taken into account. The economic aspect is a major staking point because people have varying income levels. Politics is another conundrum that citizens have to bear with as each side endears to make their stamp. Besides, there are other significant trade-offs. For instance, focusing on tax credits effectively versus incentivizing work, expanding coverage versus reducing costs, protecting the sickest and most expensive clients against letting them have the autonomy on their package rather than compelling them to have comprehensive coverage. Also, there is the case for minimizing cost-shifting to users and states versus limiting the national government’s cost liability. These factors underline important perspectives that policymakers twist to fit the best narrative for their citizens. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is one of the primary healthcare policies that have changed the course of healthcare provision and in the course changing the lives of many for the better.
The ACA was enacted in 2010. Even though it has provoked the rise in contentious debates, the public regards it as a historic achievement in the United States healthcare sector (McIntyre & Song, 2019). This policy aligns with the former United States' statement that “healthcare is not a privilege for a few, but a right for all” (Obama, 2016). This ideology is predominant in many other industrialized nations such as the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada (Lopez, 2019). In this regard, the primary goals of this act were centered on reducing the number of uninsured, making healthcare coverage more affordable, and more importantly, expanding access to care. Concurrently, the policy expanded eligibility for Medicaid. This procedure resulted in the establishment of new marketplaces whereby American nationals lacking employer coverage could access policies directly from insurers. Health insurance marketplaces became available at the state level based upon the need for competition and choice. In this regard, citizens would make worthwhile comparisons on coverage options and eventually, opt for one among the competing plans.
Another principle that came into play with the introduction of this policy was the government’s commitment to providing subsidies to low-income household persons and households. In this case, the subsidies would equate to up to 400% of the federal poverty line in the quest to help people buy insurance. Still, on the financial front, households with incomes of up to 138% of the federal poverty line would be eligible for the Medicaid program (McIntyre & Song, 2019). This percentage equates to approximately $35,000, which could be a family of four.
Private insurance was reshaped in major ways. Firms operating in this sector were expected to observe minimum federal consumer protection measures. In this regard, it was illegal for them to elicit any type of discrim...