HokageAmerican Governments Healthcare has been and is a widespread issue all over the world, providing citizens with care that is required by law. Healthcare has been a widely debated issue across the United States as individuals have held different opinions regarding the meaning of having access to affordable healthcare. Obamacare, also known as the Affordable Healthcare Act (ACA), was signed and passed by President Barack Obama in March 2010 which aimed to provide individuals who are financially unstable to have medical treatment without having to worry about the expenses. It has particularly been an area of interest in the United States, raising controversial issues as to its effectiveness in government.
Long ago, many people in the U.S. did not have access to healthcare, leaving individuals, especially low-income families, with little to no help in all areas relating to physical and mental health. Before Obamacare, most states did not give health coverage to adults without children, no matter how poor they were (5 Ways the Affordable Care Act is Helping Real People, 2017). Moreover, most states only covered parents if they had extremely low incomes. Now, Obamacare has expanded health coverage to low-income families through the Medicaid program. It aimed to reduce the amount of uncompensated care the average U.S. family pays for by requiring everyone to have health insurance or pay a tax penalty (5 Ways the Affordable Care Act is Helping Real People, 2017). As a result, Obamacare has affected those who were low-income adults, families with children, seniors, persons with disabilities, pregnant women, children in foster care, and former foster youth up to age 26 (5 Ways the Affordable Care Act is Helping Real People, 2017). It improved the quality of healthcare while simultaneously controlling rapidly rising costs. As a result, millions of Americans were able to get the health insurance coverage they needed. It allowed for a broad range of health care involving other important issues in government, protecting people with pre-existing conditions from being denied health insurance. Furthermore, it gave a lifelong guarantee that health insurers could not discriminate against them based on pre-existing health conditions (5 Ways the Affordable Care Act is Helping Real People, 2017). Healthcare needs to be accessible by all U.S. individuals because it is a necessity and right in life. When individuals are denied the right to healthcare, there is an absence of freedom and is dehumanizing mankind. Society functions when individuals are healthy in order to work and gain income for their families. As a result, mortality rates would decrease. There has been many debatable perspective and opinions as to whether or not Obamacare is beneficial to all citizens. One common viewpoint that many have held that all Americans have benefited from Obamacare guaranteeing access to coverage to everyone regardless of pre-existing health conditions and coverage for mental health and substance use disorder services. In contrast, another viewpoint has been held that Obamacare only benefitted low income families (Amadeo, 2019) . Indeed, one of the most important provisions of the Affordable Care Act is the expansion of health coverage to low-income families through the Medicaid program, offering sustainable pursuit towards an accessible healthcare. Finally, a third perspective on Obamacare supports that it has been ineffective; therefore, it should be thrown out. Research has shown that three to five million people lost their employment-based health insurance with increased coverage raised (Amadeo, 2019). In consideration of all the viewpoints made by US individuals, it can be inferred many impose strong opinions as to how Obamacare has affected their lives, financially and emotionally. Obamacare was discussed by both of the presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, in the 2016 elections. Clinton supported Obamacare in hopes to to build on its features, such as offering a tax credit up to $5000, a platform for “public opinions” on the healthcare system, supporting the elderly by letting them buy into medicare at the age of 55, and increasing funding for community health centers. In contrast, Donald Trump wanted to repeal and replace the Obamacare with a brand new version healthcare that includes, insurance tax deductible, consumers are able to import drugs from authenticated countries, promoting on a tax-free health savings account, and turning Medicaid into a block grant program (Kodjak, 2016). Due to the negativity of cost on Obamacare at the time, people wanted a cheaper alternative. Therefore, many states, such as Kentucky where they declined on the uninsured rate due to the expenses of the Obamacare, and were more interested in a new Healthcare Act that could potentially cost less, and voted for Donald Trump (Kliff, 2016). During the 2016 election, President Trump vowed to repeal and replace the ACA once he became president. On President Trump’s first day of office, he made an executive order to “minimize the unwarranted document and regulatory burdens” (Rovner, 2018). Moreover, he tried to make dues on his promises, enabling him to successfully partially repeal and replace the ACA with a new Health Care Act called American Health Care Act passed by the House, though it was not supported by the Senate (Rovner, 2018). Currently, Obamacare has not yet been repealed and there are still new consumers who purchased and seeked coverage through the ACA instead. In 2018, “The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services reports that about 11.8 million people bought 2018 coverage on the ACA’s federal and state-based exchanges during the shortened open enrollment period, and 27 percent of them were considered new consumers” (Rovner, 2018). There has been many questions as to if Obamacare will be repealed in the future and how it will affect millions of citizens who are insured with ACA. In regards to the 2020 Presidential election is coming up, Obamacare could potentially be repealed if an Republican candidate wins the race.
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JMCSCalifornia Politics Despite the existing programs for health care in California, many residents are still left without adequate health care coverage. It is important for each family to have a necessary health care plan because of the costly charges of medical bills. Without adequate coverage plans, an unexpected life event can put a family in the face of financial debts or even bankruptcy. Though most employers will offer plans in regards toward health care for their employees, some workers may find that these plans are not affordable to each individual, ultimately leaving them in deprivation of the right health care that they or their family needs. California does have health care plans available such as Medi-Cal and Coverage California for those who cannot afford the plans offered by employers; however, there are still individuals who still find these programs unaffordable and are left without any health insurance coverages. According to the June 2017 report from the CDC, there are 6.8% of the population in California that are uninsured (Myers, 2018).
In the last recent election of 2018, there were numerous propositions aimed to help those who are still not covered with health insurance. Health care has been a reoccurring issue in the United States and California is just one of those states where many of its residents are still hoping for affordable health care prices. One proposition was SB 562 also known as The Healthy California Act. This bill proposed a single-payer health care system where the funding for all health care finances would come from the federal government. This bill promised universal health care for all of California residents with reduced and affordable costs and better patient care made primarily by health care professionals such as doctors and nurses instead of insurance agencies. This act will be beneficial because California residents won’t have to worry about expensive health care costs or worry that their insurance would not be able to cover medical procedures needed in order to save a life. Unfortunately, SB 562, The Healthy California Act was placed on hold and did not pass during the recent election in 2018 due to the issues of financing. One supporter of the act was a democratic candidate, Gavin Newsom. Another proposition that was brought up during the last election in 2018 in regard to health care was SB 974 also known as the Health4All Elders act. This bill was proposed by Lara. The Health4All Elders act ensures that all undocumented, low income elderly residents in California who are 65 years of age or older be eligible for Medi-Cal. This prop goes to support universal coverage. Not only would they be eligible for Medi-Cal coverages, the undocumented elders would be covered through emergency services, primary and any other preventative care as needed. This act will ensure that elderly undocumented California residents receive the best care instead of living with fear of costly medical bills and being ill. Unfortunately, this prop, SB 974 was also failed in the election of 2018. The act AB 2965, also known as Health4All Young Adults was proposed by Arambula. This was also a proposition that was brought up in regard to California health care during the 2018 elections. Health4All Young Adults act ensured that undocumented young adults living in California within the ages of 19 to 25 be eligible for Medi-Cal coverages. Similar to the Health4All Elders act, this proposition ensures the same coverage for undocumented residents but aimed towards younger adults who were ineligible to qualify for health insurance due to their immigration status. It is another step towards universal coverage for the state of California and its residents. Unfortunately, like the other bill, the proposition Health4All Young Adults was also a failure in the 2018 elections. These propositions were all denied due to California’s budget. California is a state of many cultures and diversity. Amongst the residents, there are still many who are undocumented immigrants. Due to the failure of these proposals, those that are impacted the most are the undocumented residents in California. Another group that are impacted are those who do not make enough to afford health care. Without affordable prices, individuals are still left without health care coverage in California. Residents who don’t qualify for health services such as Medi-Cal, are living in fear of becoming ill or injured in hopes to avoid any financial situations. Propositions in the matter of health care coverage will always be an upcoming issue in the United States as long as there are still residents that are left uncovered. California is just one of the states where its residents are living without proper health care coverage or are over paying for coverage without getting the proper care that is needed. As long as there is no change with the policies in California’s health system, those who are affected will continue to propose acts to change the future in ensuring that all of California will have access to health care. SFCalifornia Politics Over the past ten years, there has been a continual increase in the obesity of Americans. The high levels of sugar and preservatives found in our food/drinks have led to serious medical concerns across the nation. Several organizations have been advocating for the implementation of healthier foods. In fall 2018 Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill that will require restaurants in California to make milk or juices made without artificial sweeteners the default option on kids meals. Although this is a step in the right direction, enforcing a change in the promotion of healthier kids meal drinks is not enough to reform the declining health in the United States.
With the California statistic of 40.7% of children or adolescents being overweight in 2016, it’s important to realize that changing the way children eat is the first step in putting our country on a healthier path. According to MomsRising, 40,000 annual deaths in the United States are attributed to heart problems associated with the consumption of sugary drinks. The consumption of sugary drinks has been linked to a variety of other health concerns aside from the increase in obesity; it is also linked to Diabetes, Heart disease, Gout, decrease in bone health, and risk of early death from cancer. When considering how this really affects the day-to-day lives of families in the United States, you may think it isn’t all that important. To put this into perspective, McDonald’s is one of the most iconic fast food chains in the world and, in the United States alone, McDonald’s will sell 602,000 Happy Meals in one day. In the past 20 years, some of the most prominent soft drink companies received backlash over the chemicals found in their drinks. Although some of those companies have since changed the recipes of their drinks, a few controversial ingredients have remained. These ingredients include, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Citric Acid, and Sodium Benzoate. Many of these drinks are packaged in cans containing Bisphenol A; more commonly known as BPA. Bisphenol A has been banned from infant’s plastic cups due to the harmful chemicals, so why hasn’t it been banned from cans that children and adults both drink from? In a study conducted by three professors at Princeton University, the authors concluded that the consumption of sugar can lead to behavioral and psychological changes that are similar to the symptoms of substance abuse (Avena et al). One of the most concerning problems associated with soft drinks is the combination of Citric Acid and Sodium Benzoate. Citric Acid is used as a preservative that can lead to erosion of your teeth, it is common in most carbonated beverages. Sodium Benzoate is another common preservative that is found in most processed foods we consume. However, under the right conditions, Citric Acid and Sodium Benzoate can turn in to Benzene, which is also a natural part of crude oil, gasoline and cigarette smoke (cdc.gov). Benzene is used to make lubricants, rubbers, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides, and it is has linked to cause cancer in humans (cdc.gov). Based on this information, should we do more to reform the manufacturing and sales of these products? Although this bill will have a positive impact on the health of children in the state of California, we have a national crisis that has yet to be addressed. We need to educate parents and children on the dangers of consuming these chemicals and excessive amounts of sugar in our drinks. In addition, we need to start promoting better health so that the media and other elected officials can realize the importance of our health. Aside from the health concerns, beverages with artificial sweeteners have no nutritional value. As of June 2018, the California state legislature banned any new local soda taxes until 2031. However, if alcohol and cigarettes, which also have no nutritional value get taxed, then why shouldn’t soda? The California Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Tax Initiative was proposed for the 2020 ballot but, as of March 22, 2019, the Secretary of State’s office announced that the initiative failed due to a lack of signatures. The California Senate Bill (SB 1192) enforcing the advertisement of healthy kids meal drinks was passed in September 2018 and went into effect on January 1, 2019. Senator Bill Monning (SD-17) authored the bill, which was co-sponsored by the American Heart Association, Latino Coalition for a Healthy California, MomsRising, Public Health Advocates, and YMCA. The bill specifies that the default option for a children’s meal drink must be water, sparkling water, flavored water, or unflavored milk. However, a restaurant still has the ability to sell an alternative beverage should a customer request it. The first violation would be subject to a notice of violation, whereas second and third violations will be punishable by fines. Unfortunately, this will not stop customers from ordering the popular sodas or juices that are full of preservatives and artificial sweeteners. If people were aware of the dangers associated with consuming unhealthy food and drinks, it would increase the chances of longer and healthier lives. El TomCalifornia Politics Affordable healthcare is a big issue in today’s society for many reasons. Medical insurance has become very expensive and those with lower incomes can no longer afford it. Although there are programs for low income families that help getting medical insurance, others who are borderline qualifying for such programs end up paying hundreds of dollars a year. Programs such as Women, Infants and Children (WIC) are of the few that offer resources at no cost to pregnant women, especially first time moms. Qualifications for programs like these vary from income to the number of dependents or children in the household. Other programs like Obamacare, Kaiser Permanente, and Covered California, have copays for citizens that should be getting their medication for free.
Obama implemented his Affordable Care Act (ACA) in March 3rd, 2010 (EHealth Insurance). During Obama’s running for presidency, one of his goals was to have affordable health insurance for every U.S citizen. He signed the ACA bill into law in 2010 and required every individual with legal residency status in the United States to obtain health insurance. Those who did not have health insurance during any time of the year would face a tax penalty for each month they didn’t hold coverage, mostly known as a mandate (Adamczyk). The fines for those who opted out of having healthcare coverage varied depending on the households’ income, so the more money someone made the more they had to pay at the end of the year. The mandate allowed citizens up to 3 months without coverage as long as they had coverage the remaining of the 9 months in the year and they wouldn’t get taxed for it, but if they reached 4 months then they would get fined on all 4 months and so on. There are 4 main options for healthcare insurance: Medical, Covered California, work insurance and private. The first option and the cheapest one is Medical. Medical is a program meant for low-income families. The guidelines for medical are very strict, based on income and household size. When a family or even just one of the members in the household stops being eligible for Medical they transition to Covered California where they can choose what type of coverage they want, the more coverage they want the more they would pay. Covered California recipients can also be eligible for assistance, meaning they can receive help with their monthly payment. However, Covered California is only eligible for people with legal residency status. If a Medical recipient stops being eligible for Medical due to too much earned income and they are not at least legal residents, then they don’t get to transitioned to Covered California. At this point their only other option would be to sign up for a private insurance but that’s too expensive for most. During Trumps running for office, he promised a tax cuts and defunding of several programs. His “Christmas present’ as he called it, in 2017 was a tax bill that he had been trying to pass for a while. The new tax bill was signed into law on December 22, 2017. This new bill brought many changes but the one change that affects almost everyone is how it repeals the Affordable Care Act (Goodnough). With this new bill, the mandate is lifted- no longer required to have health insurance and no tax penalty at the individual level. However, Congressional Budget Office projects the change will increase insurance premiums and lead to 13 million fewer Americans with insurance in a decade, while also cutting government spending by more than $300 billion over that period (Long). Those who wish to continue getting health insurance will most likely see an increase in their bill. Now, individuals are facing higher prices for insurance, will they save their money or will they pay the price for health care. Gavin Newsom wants to reinstate the individual mandate at the state level to bolster the affordable care act (ACA) and fund insurance subsidies for middle-income families (Bollag). Revenue from that penalty will subsidize health insurance for individuals earning up to $72,840 annually and families of four earning up to $150,600 (Bollag). He signed an executive order to consolidate that state’s drug price negotiation by 2021 (Bollag). It is intended to give California better leverage to negotiate lower class. Newson also wants to expand Medicaid eligibility to age 26 for those who do not have legal residency status. Currently, the law states that all children regardless of their immigration status are eligible for full-scope medical until the age of 19, unless parents are over the income guidelines for medical. Full-scope medical means a person is eligible to all health care related services for free, this includes doctors’ visits, dentists, specialist, hospitalization, medicine, etc. With full-scope medical a patient does not have a monthly payment or co-payments. CSUS Transfer StudentAmerican Governments Health care costs is a major epidemic in the United States. The major focus of concern is access to health care for low income individuals. If we can switch the focus off government reliability nationwide, and focus more on non-profit organization partners hips assistance, we can contribute more financial stability for this major epidemic in our country while maintaining health care budget and preventing anymore debt from our high per capita costs. Compared to other highly developed country, United States was the least successful in mortality rate, yet we spent the most money per capita as stated earlier. Patient care should be a priority, yet the federal government is reluctant to organize our health system.
Congress had repealed a 2017 tax bill which charges a penalty for not having health insurance. This is affecting the vulnerable population who may not be able to afford the skyrocket costs of health insurance premiums, service fees, and out-of-pocket deductibles. The impact causes people to be more at risk from of ignoring a serious disease due to the intimidating costs. Our vulnerable population is greatly impacted by expensive health care costs. Our vulnerable population are groups of individuals with increased risk for developing adverse health outcome s (elderly, racial minorities, single parents, refugees, veterans, mentally ill, unemployed, etc). Many non-profit organizations will acknowledge their disparities while our government programs may resist the biases in health care affordability by limiting availability of assistance while increasing taxes on the middle class. Non-profit hospitals have prioritized assistance in their policies such as Mercy San Juan Medical Center. Ultimately, the current U.S. health care system is not working if an entire population is being neglected. We must be creative enough to design and organize more non-profit organizations that are not entirely reliant on our government who will fund mainly certain projects and research. We can deliver health care without relying on taxes and funding by the support of banks and non-profit organizations. Partnerships between non-profit organizations can create new programs with resources for those whom may not be able to afford quality health care. We would be able to resolve the different challenging dynamics in our health care system. There has been a substantial decline in health care coverage in California during 2016 and 2017. Nonetheless, state policymakers have been trying to expand health insurance for Californians while maintaining current coverage plans. Health care plans must be supported by the state because that is where plans receive their financing. Majority of the health coverage is from Medi-Cal, Medicaid, and Covered California which was established by the Affordable Care Act. Medi-Cal has lost many members due to their strict government policy to maintain under a certain income. Covered California is an option to those individuals, however, monthly premiums are based on income which does not take into account other factors such as car loans, monthly rent, and other financial responsibilities. Medi-Cal and Medicaid is where the majority of health care spending occurs. Total cost of health care spending has reached the trillions! Per capita, our spending has reached around $6,000 per patient according the Centers of Medi-Cal and Medicaid services and National Health Expenditures. Citizens are burdened with increased costs as we continue to increase our health care spending. Tax increases may deplete public health leading us into a vicious cycle of poor health and an increase in national debt. Financing through funds with the partnerships would make money available for health care programs. These programs could focus on a wide arrange of health issues for people who may not have access to expensive health care. For instance, we can create a public health program that focuses on preventing cancer to those who are at a higher-risk or we can create a program that assists cancer patients by providing health screenings and chemotherapy. There are a variety of possibilities if we focus on working together to serve humanity. Although we can improve with great strategies for health care reform, we must also appreciate and become fully aware of the opportunities in our own community . There is a substantial amount of people working hard to prevent diseases and assist people with their health concerns. It is important for people to feel like they are a part of a community who cares about their health socially, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Once people feel that they are encouraged to seek help, then we can prevent health conditions early on which will eventually lead to decreased spending on health care overall. |
AuthorUndergraduate student generated content. Blog posting and updating done by Kristina Flores Victor, Assistant Professor of Political Science at CSUS Archives
March 2020
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