ACA and economics Flashcards
(63 cards)
Pt protection and affordable care act
2010
- laws enacted 2010-2015
- health insurance exchanges, mandatory medicaid expansion, ind mandates, emphasize preventative care, insurer regulations, potential overturn or revision with new admin
National federation of independent business v Sebelius
2012
- upheld the ind mandate for health insurance
- ruled that mandatory Medicaid eligibility expansion was unconstitutional
Tax cuts and jobs act
2017
- called for removal of individual mandate in 2019
- before that penalty or taxes if did not carry health insurance
- fam can deduct any medical expenses that exceed 7.5% of their income (before act, was 10%)
Outcomes of removal of ind mandate
- 13mil fewer ppl insured
- gov saved lots money by not having to pay subsidies
- hc costs rise bc ppl don’t get preventative care
- health insurance lost $ and health ppl dropped coverage, more proportion of sick enrollees
ways to get insurance with ACA
- your employer
- health insurance marketplace
- from government
Changes to employee health insurance with the ACA
- encourage employer to offer insurance
- benefits and coverage disclosure laws
- incentive for workplace wellness programs
What do workplace wellness programs focus on?
Preventative care
How does ACA encourage employer to offer insurance
- SHOP marketplaces to help small businesses offer insurance
- employer-shared responsibility payment for premiums (>50 emps)
- 90d max wait period before hc kicks in
State health insurance marketplace
- subsidize health insurance for low-middle income who wouldn’t qualify for medicare but could not afford employment plan (100-400%)
- competition in health plans (options)
- sign up through state or federal exchanges
- marketplaces have responsibility to monitor private insurance companies
Outcomes of KYs marketplace
KYnect
- 500k obtained insurance
- expanded coverage for SUD and MI
- uninsured fell to 9%
- ended in 2017 and reinstated 2022
What program created state marketplaces?
ACA
Medicaid changes with ACA
- ACA tried to raise minimum eligibility requirement to 138% of FPL to cover 100-148% gap
- supreme court ruled unconstitutional but states can voluntarily participate
Medicaid gap
exists in states where states have not expanded, gap in 50-100% FPL where ppl don’t qualify for medicaid and can’t afford subsidized health insurance
Difference in policy outcomes with expansion vs not expansion
- in states with expanded medicaid, uninsured rates for people in poverty fell lots
- rates of uninsured stayed the same
How is the ACA funded?
- fees from pharmaceutical and medical device companies
- taxes from ind who earn >200k/y, Cadillac plans, and indoor tanning
- penalties: ind mandate (prior to 2019) and companies with >50 FTE who don’t buy insurance
- cost control measures with provider incentives, waste, fraud and abuse, prevention and wellness promotions, dec in Medicare spending
ACA outcomes
- dec # of uninsured among nonelderly pop
- 60% of ppl w/ new coverage went to dr, hospital , or bought rx
Insurer regulations under the ACA
- bans against yearly and lifetime limits
- can’t deny coverage for kids/adults with preexisting condx
- can’t drop clients when they get sick
- all plans must include contraception and preventative care
- must cover dep kids til 26
- can’t charge M and W differently
- lower cost for preventative services
- small business tax credit to provide employees coverage
- max out of pocket based on family income relative to poverty line
- mammogram, pap smear, maternity services must be covered
Current future of hc in US
- unknown bc current sys unsustainable
- US spend more money for worse outcomes
- millions uninsured
- partisan politics interfere with rational hc sys decision making
private health insurance
focus on ind health like curative, rehab, custodial
- now preventative and early dx and tx too
- fee for service basis
- ind care provided for by HCPs and based on managed care or capitated payments like HMOs
philanthropic hc insurance
- addresses health of ind w/ specific dx via funding mechs
- funded thru private donations and fundraising
- global focus often and provide welfare of others
- disease specific like cancer, kidney
- finance research, direct care, supp care
- no legislative pwoer
- power of public
public hc sys
- efforts organized by society to protect, promote, restore ppl’s health
- mandated by US constitution to promote general welfare
- federal, state, and local levels
- services coordinated under the US dept of health and human services (USDHHS)
US DHHS goals and abilities
- goal is population health
- works with Surgeon general
- targets disease prevention, health promo, and rehab of gen pop, special pops, and intl health
- develops programs mostly
- laws, regulation, rule to protect the public
US DHHS current plan
- transform hc
- advance sci knowledge and innovation
- adv health, safety, and wellbeing of US citizens
- inc efficiency, transparency, and accountability of DHHS
- strengthen nation’s health and human services infrastructure and workforce (the profs who ensure a healthy pop)
State health dept
- health of states’ citizens and central authorities in public hc sys
- guided by federal level but establishes own state laws
- local health dept subsystem