In Module Six, you examined the role that the U.S. government plays in the healthcare system. You also considered the various roles performed that relate to government statutes or regulatory guidance at the local, state, and federal levels. You then discussed a variety of laws passed by the government in an effort to improve outcomes and quality performance in the system, as well as how these regulations can impact the stakeholders who interact with patients within the system.
In this module, you will more closely examine the reform efforts to improve quality, equity, and efficiency within the U.S. healthcare system. How did early twentieth-century developments related to medicine and the medical field impact how the U.S. system and its access to care is organized? What is employer-based health insurance, and what are some of the insurance models employed within the system through the later part of the twentieth century that are enduring today? How have cost and access to care impacted the U.S. healthcare system as compared to other countries?
With the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010, the future for quality and payment reform were presented in a complicated regulation that called for staged reform of all aspects of our healthcare system. What are the major features of this important piece of healthcare legislation? What are some of the current approaches to a more comprehensive healthcare reform? What are the key elements driving healthcare reform?
Initial Post:
In your initial post, you will analyze the original ACA components and consider the impact of the recent revisions. As part of your response, identify some challenges with the original ACA components and the revisions to the ACA. What original factors have created the need for reform? How do you think the revisions will impact the patient?

Sample Solution