The Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act, also referred to as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care act or the Obamacare is a provision by the United States government that was enacted by the federal statute under the 111^th United States Congress. The statute was intended to ensure that all citizens in the U.S have access to good quality medical care. In order to offer the best quality of care and help reduce cost, the act relies on consumer and provider incentive such as the premium tax credit.

Households with incomes that average between 100 and 400 percent of the federal poverty level receive subsidies such as premium tax credits (Gruessner, 2016). this ensures that such households have more income to take care of their medical needs and this greatly assists in cost reduction. Consumers have more income to not only access medical care but lead healthier and safer lives that do not risk their health (Gruessner, 2016). Medical care providers on the other hand are able to cut on cost as the burden of takin care of patients that are unable to meet the cost is lessened by the provisions made available through Obamacare.

Other than the Affordable care act, there are other initiatives taken by the government to enhance quality of care such as the antitrust legislation. One of the laws that enhance the quality of care is the Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914 which prevents organizations from discriminating against customers through prices or any mergers that seek to reduce competition (Palmer, 2019). The act ensures that there are different organizations offering quality service rather than a having a monopoly where one organization has power over the consumer. A monopoly would affect quality of care as the organization would have enough influence and control to instigate its own terms (Palmer, 2019). When there is increased competition combined with the laws that prevent discrimination amongst consumers however, organizations are forced to rely on market forces when pricing services and this ensures that all patients are treated equally and that the quality of care is maintained.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Gruessner V, (2016) “How the Affordable Care Act changed the face of health insurance”            Health prayer Intelligence, retrieved from,   https://healthpayerintelligence.com/features/how-the-affordable-care-act-changed-the-         face-of-health-insurance

Palmer B, (2019) “Understanding Antitrust Laws” retrieved from,             https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/09/antitrust-law.asp