“health care transformation: the affordable care act and more”

 
1 postsRe: Topic 4 DQ 2

In addition to establishing universal coverage and shared responsibility, the Affordable Care Act sets federal standards for health insurers offering products in both the individual and small-group markets, as well as employer-sponsored health benefit plans, Rosenbaum S. (2011).

The law has 3 primary goals, according the Healthcare.gov:

1. Make affordable health insurance available to more people. The law provides consumers with subsidies (“premium tax credits”) that lower costs for households with incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level (FPL). Note: If your income is above 400% FPL, you may still qualify for the premium tax credit in 2021.
2. Expand the Medicaid program to cover all adults with income below 138% of the FPL. (Not all states have expanded their Medicaid programs.)
3. Support innovative medical care delivery methods designed to lower the costs of health care generally.

The Affordable Care Act was designed to reduce the cost of health insurance coverage for people who qualify. The law includes premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions to help lower expenses for lower-income individuals and families. Premium tax credits lower your health insurance bill each month. It was developed to make health insurance more affordable, to initiate consumer protection, and to increase the number of people covered by health insurance.
Nurses can support the health of families and communities by serving as an important resource in providing information on how to access the health insurance coverage that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) offers.

Using 200-300 APA format with references to support the discussion 

 What are the most important elements of the Affordable Care Act in relation to community and public health? What is the role of the nurse in implementing this law?