Question

For this essay, you will conduct research on one of the laws. You will use your research to write a three- to five-page paper on the law you chose that answers the following questions:

When was this law passed and what need or concern did it address?

What were the effects of this law (intended and unintended)?

Who benefited from this law the most? Were any populations affected by it negatively?

What was the public’s reaction to this law? Did it have any negative feedback?

What is the status of this law today? Has it been reformed or changed in any way?

You may research one of the following laws:

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)

The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act

Answer 1

Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 -

In the beginning of the year 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act, into law on March 23rd 2010 and it was passed and enacted legislatively by Congress in order to increase public access to health care at a lesser cost.

Objective of Affordable Care Act (ACA)–

The ACA mainly aims to provide help to improve the access of inexpensive health coverage for everyone and to protect consumers from abusive insurance company services. One of the instance directives, implemented in September 2010 aims to expand coverage on young adults of age between 19 - 26, who may lose insurance coverage due to the remove from their parents’ medical plan after age 18 and lacking of productivity to bargain with employers in the labor market.

Hence, the ultimate objective of the ACA was to create a better overall atmosphere for workplace heath and safety by making healthcare more affordable. Though, the passage of the ACA did have some unforeseen consequences in regards to worker compensation. The ACA was passed to increase government funding which in return reduces the medical costs of the average American worker and thus make more effective and affordable healthcare practice. For most American workers there is often a coverage gap in their healthcare plan.

The law provides consumers with subsidies that lower the costs for households with incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level. In the beginning of the year 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act, into law on March 23rd 2010 and it was passed and enacted legislatively by Congress in order to increase public access to health care at a lesser cost.

People Opinion –

Prior to the law's passage, polling was conducted and it indicated that the people were negative to specific plans discussed during the legislative debate over 2009 and 2010. Polling statistics showed a general negative opinion of the law; with those in favor at approximately 40% and those against at 51%, as of October 2013. About 29% of white people approve of the law, compared with 61% of people of other population Opinions were differed due to age of the person during the setting up of this law, actually a great majority of seniors members are opposing the bill and younger generation are in favor.

Current status of Affordable Care Act -

When Democrats passed the Affordable Care Act in 2010 without a single Republican vote, they were criticized for being too enthusiast. ... Furthermore, the Democrat-controlled House and Senate committees adopted nearly 190 Republican amendments while writing the legislation, according to data compiled by The New York Times.

The ACA has major prerequisites came into force in the year 2014. By 2016, the uninsured offer of the populace had generally divided, with gauges extending from 20 to 24 million extra individuals secured amid 2016. The increased coverage was due, roughly equal to an expansion of Medicaid eligibility and to major changes to individual insurance markets. Both theses mentioned points are hugely involved in new funds (most of them through a combination of new taxes and cuts to Medicare provider rates and Medicare Advantage). Some of the reports said that overall these provisions reduced the budget deficit, that repealing the ACA would increase the deficit and that the law reduced income inequality by taxing primarily the top 1% to fund roughly $600 in benefits on average to families in the bottom 40% of the income distribution. The law additionally instituted a large group of conveyance framework changes expected to oblige social insurance costs and enhance quality. The demonstration to a great extent holds the current structure of Medicare, Medicaid, and the business showcase, however singular markets were fundamentally updated around a three-legged plan.