High value communities have been the subject of USA Healthcare industry. The famous
quote “health is wealth” seems to be translated in another meaning in these
states where healthcare is only available to the wealthy. Let us closely examine the reforms and changes
that shape the Healthcare in the USA.
The Historical Background of USA Healthcare Reform
Here are the major historical milestones in the USA Healthcare reform on a national
level.
·
In the year 1965, President
Lyndon Johnson has enacted the legislation that introduced Medicare which
covered both hospitalization and general medical insurance for the senior
citizens. This is paid for by the Federal employment tax during the working
life of the retiree. This permitted the Federal government to fund the program
for the poor and has been co-financed by individual states. This is one of the
first national-scale USA healthcare reforms.
·
In 1985, COBRA or The Consolidated
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 enabled the amendment of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 also known as ERISA. This gave some
employees continuous health insurance coverage even after leaving employment
·
It was in 1996 when The Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) has made possible the
protection of health insurance coverage for employees and families when they
change their jobs or lose their employment. It also made health insurance
companies to cover pre-existing health or medical conditions after one year of
continuous coverage.
·
Then, in 1997, the federal
government to provide has established SCHIP or The State Children’s Health
Insurance Program and cover health insurance to families with children
considered to have 200% below the federal line of poverty.
· One of the most recent reforms
is the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also dubbed as
Obamacare. It was enacted to provide in phases the comprehensive system of mandated
healthcare to eliminate and regulate the worst practices of some health
insurance policies like:
o
Screening of pre-existing
condition
o
Premium loadings
o
Policy cancellations when it
comes to technicalities if illness seems imminent
o
Setting a minimum ratio of
direct health care spending versus premium income
o
Creation of price competition this
is achieved by creating 3 standards of the coverage level
o
A web based price comparison
for consumers to gauge pricing when purchasing plans.
These are just a few of the main accomplishment of the
government for USA Healthcare that
shape the national medical industry. However, as the citizens become more
watchful, they have learned to become wiser and more vocal in demanding quality
healthcare from their elected officials.
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