Describe the changes to Medicare that are direct results of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010
After the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, numerous changes were made to the Medicare system. Some of these changes are; the Act improved the coverage of the Medicare services among others. As the year 2011 begun, no deductibles or coinsurance were charged for the traditional Medicare for the preventive services. The Act expanded and modified the uses of Medicare premiums which are income related. The Act included numerous provisions which are related to the payments to the provider for the purposes of reducing the growth of Medicare payments in the future and increase it for a number of primary care providers. The affordable care act changes the focus of Medicare to ensure that the older population is kept healthy. In addition, the 2010 act reduced the speed at which the Medicare costs grow (Mercer, 2014). Also, the payment rate changed, thus affecting the service providers’ fee (Davis et al., 2010).
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Analyze and explain the possible impacts upon the health care system as more Americans gain access to health care.
The 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act had a great change to the health sector. First and foremost the private sector greatly expanded in terms of its coverage as well as Medicaid while at the same time making major impacts to the system of healthcare delivery and payment rates (Auerbach et al., 2014). Then the Act also affects the health insurers, government payers as well as individuals among others (Auerbach et al., 2014). The Act is great for ensuring a healthy nation simply because it has significantly reduced the number of the uninsured individuals across the U.S (Rosenbaum, 2011).
Explain the ways in which increased access to health care may affect baby boomers either positively or negatively
Baby Boomers refer to the groups of people who were born between “1946 and 1964” who make up the largest population of the American population (LeRouge et al., 2014). Considering their time of birth, this group is aging right now and therefore many have retired and most of them will be facing retirement soon. Having this in mind, then the Act would greatly help this population simply because they would be unable to foot their bills, therefore, the baby boomers would be positively impacted by the Act especially Medicare which ensures those aged 65 and above.
Explore the role technology plays in accessing health care and on the Patient Protection and Affordable Act
Technology in the present day world is paramount and a tool which ensures success. In the healthcare sector, technology is very significant in delivering important health equipment and education (Bandyopadhyay, 2013). For instance with technology, innovations in pharmaceuticals companies, medical and biotech devices, and academic medicine are bound to be improved which would further give back to the healthcare sector, thus improving the access to healthcare as well as the Patient Protection and Affordable Act effectiveness.
Analyze and explain the two new technologies that have affected health care in the past five years
As technology keeps on growing, its benefits can be clearly seen in the healthcare sector; they may include mHealth and electronic health record among others. mHealth refers to Mobile Health, this technology helps in freeing the healthcare corded as well as wired devices, enabling the physicians as well as patients to be able to access their processes of healthcare on-the-go. Service providers and physicians can apply this technology in making orders reaching more data with patients and documentation (Health IT & CIO Report, 2014). In the year 2009, of all the hospital in the U.S, only 16% embraced the electronic health record (EHR). As of 2013, more hospitals (about 80%) had adapted to the EHR system thus fully operational within their organizations (Health IT & CIO Report, 2014).
Analyze and describe the two new technologies that will be needed in the years ahead to keep up with the aging baby boomers
The aging populations of baby boomers tend to have higher technological needs; as a result, they are pushing the technology used in healthcare to another new level. Some technologies that would be greatly appreciated include the wireless monitors and smart home among others. Wireless monitors would help the baby boomers aging population by reducing the queues and the process of calling the receptionists to book an appointment with the physician. With this wireless monitors, it will be a matter of pressing buttons. These monitors have the capability of monitoring the body activity including heart rate and glucose readings among others. In addition, there is the smart home which helps by providing constant monitoring of the patient. This technology would keep the patients to remain connected and is also capable of detecting vital signs within the body (Lee, 2014).
References
Auerbach, D. I., Heaton, P., & Brantley, I. (2014). How Will the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Affect Liability Insurance Costs? Rand Health Quarterly . 2014 Summer; 4(2): 6.
Bandyopadhyay, S., Braly, L., Eppler, A., Eberly, D., Li, H., Kwak, S. B., Patel, N., & Sidhu, I. (2013). The Affordable Care Act: Impact and Opportunities in the Health Care Industry . Fung Institute for Engineering Leadership. Retrieved from https://ikhlaqsidhu.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/affordable_care_act.pdf
Davis, A. P., Hahn, J., Morgan, C. P. Stone, J., & Tilson, S. (2010). Medicare Provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA): Summary and Timeline . Congressional Research Service (CRS). 7-5700; www.crs.gov ; R41196
Health IT & CIO Report. (2014). 10 Biggest Technological Advancements for Healthcare in the Last Decade . Retrieved from https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/healthcare-information-technology/10-biggest-technological-advancements-for-healthcare-in-the-last-decade.html
Lee, D. S. (2014, April 3). Baby Boomers Push Medical Technology to New Heights. HIT Consultant . Retrieved from https://hitconsultant.net/2014/03/04/baby-boomers-push-medical-technology-new-heights/
LeRouge, C. M., Tao, D., Ohs, J., Lach, H. W., Jupka, K., & Wray, R. (2014). Challenges and Opportunities with Empowering Baby Boomers for Personal Health Information Management Using Consumer Health Information Technologies: an Ecological Perspective. AIMS Public Health , 1(3): 160–181. DOI: 10.3934/publichealth.2014.3.160
Mercer, M. (2014). Medicare Resources Center; Is Your Medicare Safe . American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). Retrieved from https://www.aarp.org/health/medicare-insurance/info-12-2013/medicare-and-affordable-care-act.html
Rosenbaum, JD. S. (2011). The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Implications for Public Health Policy and Practice. Public Health Rep., 126(1): 130–135. DOI: 10.1177/003335491112600118
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Summary of Key Changes to Medicare in 2010 Health Reform Law. Focus on Health Reform . Retrieved from www.kff.org .
