In our role of advocacy in nursing, you are working on a forum to inform your community about the three major health care reform proposals developed in Fall of 2017—Graham, Cassidy and Heller-Johnson; The Health Care Freedom Act; and the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017. For your presentations, address the following components: The effect that each plan has on healthcare in general, Medicare, and Medicaid clients.
QUESTION
Group 1, Question 2: Advocacy Forum
In our role of advocacy in nursing, you are working on a forum to inform your community about the three major health care reform proposals developed in Fall of 2017—Graham, Cassidy and Heller-Johnson; The Health Care Freedom Act; and the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017. For your presentations, address the following components:
- The effect that each plan has on healthcare in general, Medicare, and Medicaid clients.
- Will any of these plans provide comprehensive care for all?
- What are the ethical questions raised by each plan?
- How will the healthcare markets be affected?
ANSWER
Advocacy Forum: Analyzing Major Healthcare Reform Proposals
Introduction
As advocates in nursing, it is our responsibility to inform and engage our community on significant healthcare reform proposals. In this forum, we will explore three major reform plans developed in Fall 2017: Graham, Cassidy and Heller-Johnson; The Health Care Freedom Act; and the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017. This presentation aims to assess the effects of each plan on healthcare in general, Medicare, and Medicaid clients, evaluate their potential to provide comprehensive care for all, examine the ethical questions raised, and analyze the impact on healthcare markets.
Effects on Healthcare
Graham, Cassidy and Heller-Johnson: This proposal aimed to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and replace it with a block grant system, shifting decision-making power to states. While it offered flexibility to states, it risked reducing coverage and affordability for individuals, particularly those with pre-existing conditions.
The Health Care Freedom Act: This plan sought to repeal the individual and employer mandates of the ACA. By eliminating these mandates, it would have weakened the stability of the insurance market, potentially leading to higher premiums and reduced access to care.
Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017: This proposal aimed to modify the ACA by implementing cuts to Medicaid and restructuring its funding through per capita caps or block grants. These changes could have resulted in reduced coverage for low-income individuals and families, impacting their access to necessary healthcare services.
Comprehensive Care for All
None of the mentioned proposals explicitly provided comprehensive care for all. While they attempted to address certain aspects of healthcare, such as insurance market regulations and funding mechanisms, they fell short of ensuring universal access to healthcare services. These plans focused more on modifying existing systems rather than developing a comprehensive care model.
Ethical Questions
Each plan raised ethical questions regarding healthcare equity, affordability, and the protection of vulnerable populations. The potential reduction in coverage, especially for Medicaid clients, created concerns about the ethical responsibility to ensure access to care for the most vulnerable members of society.
Impact on Healthcare Markets
The proposed reforms would have had significant effects on healthcare markets. The introduction of block grants and the repeal of certain ACA provisions could have led to market instability, increased premiums, and limited choices for consumers. The uncertainty surrounding the reforms could have also deterred insurers from participating in the marketplaces, further impacting access to care.
Conclusion
As we consider the three major healthcare reform proposals, it becomes clear that comprehensive care for all was not the primary focus of these plans. While they aimed to modify various aspects of healthcare, they posed potential risks to the coverage, affordability, and ethical principles of our healthcare system. Understanding the effects on healthcare in general, Medicare, Medicaid clients, the ethical questions raised, and the impact on healthcare markets allows us to engage in informed advocacy to ensure that any proposed reforms prioritize the well-being and equitable access to care for all members of our community.
