Question

You now know everything you need to know to be an informed critic of the Affordable Care Act. Based on all that you have learned, how does the Act measure up to our three goals of 1) increasing quality of care, 2) increasing access to care and 3) keeping costs in check? In your answer, try not to veer into the political, but stay objective and non- partisan. Be specific about the provisions you’re referencing and the economic principle that’s either being followed or violated.

NOTE: Elaborate on Quality, Access, and Costs staying in check.

Answer 1

The economics of innovations in technology and service delivery and the society-wide discourse on the future of health care create an inflection point that drives the demand for transformation. Health care has reached a critical turning point. Patients and payers are demanding more information, transparency and value. A more holistic approach to care, value-based incentives and advances in point of care, diagnostics, behavioral insights, emphasis on lifestyle and behavior modification combined with innovations in therapy and care delivery systems has created an expectation for new partnerships, cutting-edge innovations and superior and reliable outcomes for patients, regardless of the site of care.

It is hard to miss the constant call for transformational change, particularly in health care circles. In an environment of discontinuous and incessant change drivers, pressure for organizations to change continues to ramp up, demanding organizational redesign, new work processes and the creation of new knowledge

This is thought by many to be an easy phase, but it may not be. Driving people from their comfort zone of day-to-day focus on operations, complacency with past successes, and desire to leap ahead to solutions, combined with the assumption that the existing knowledge of the environment is sufficient, can subvert this very critical baseline phase. Fear of change can play a role, and too often the influence of managers who are not true leaders dilutes the effort and commitment. Strong and committed leaders who are vocal "change champions" can drive the engagement of others and build the potential for success.