Health care reform in the United States

HealthcarereformintheUnitedStatesBackgroundInformationtohelpyouunderstandthenewsbetterMainPoints•What’sthecurrenthealthcaresituationinUS?Impact?•HealthcarereformdebateintheUnitedStates•Whatdoesthedebateoverhealthcarereformcenteron?•ThepassedbillCurrentSituation•CurrentfiguresestimatethatspendingonhealthcareintheU.S.isabout16%ofitsGDP.In2007,anestimated$2.26trillionwasspentonhealthcareintheUnitedStates.Healthcarecostsarerisingfasterthanwagesorinflation,andthehealthshareofGDPisexpectedtocontinueitsupwardtrend,reaching19.5%ofGDPby2017.•Keywords:highcost,lowcoverage•62%ofallpersonalbankruptciesintheUnitedStatesweremedical•Governmentfinancialdeficit•ImpactonU.S.economicproductivity:thehighcostspaidbyU.S.companiesfortheiremployees’healthcareputthematacompetitivedisadvantageHealthcarereformdebateintheUnitedStatesHealthcarereformdebateintheUnitedStatesThehealthcarereformdebateintheUnitedStateshasbeenapoliticalissueformanyyears,focusinguponincreasingcoverage,decreasingthecostandsocialburdenofhealthcare,insurancereform,andthephilosophyofitsprovision,funding,andgovernmentinvolvement.FollowingtheelectionofBarackObama,whoseelectionincludedapromisetoaccomplishreform,legislationpassedbothhousesoftheU.S.Congressinlate2009.TheHousepassedtheSenatebillandapackageoffixesinaReconciliationbillinMarch2010ThedebateoverhealthcarereformintheUnitedStatescentersonquestionsabout::•whetherthereisafundamentalrighttohealthcare,•whoshouldhaveaccesstohealthcareandunderwhatcircumstances,•whoshouldberequiredtocontributetowardthecostsofprovidinghealthcareinasociety,•whetherthegovernmentshouldsupporthealthcarecommercebyforcingcitizenstobuyinsuranceorpayatax•thequalityachievedforthesumsspent,•thesustainabilityofexpendituresthathavebeenrisingfasterthanthelevelofgeneralinflationandthegrowthintheeconomy,•theroleofthefederalgovernmentinbringingaboutsuchchange•concernsoverunfundedliabilities.Thepassedbill•ThePatientProtectionandAffordableCareAct(PPACA)isafederalstatutethatwassignedintolawintheUnitedStatesbyPresidentBarackObamaonMarch23,2010.AlongwiththeHealthCareandEducationReconciliationActof2010(signedintolawonMarch30,2010),theActisaproductofthehealthcarereformagendaoftheDemocratic111thCongressandtheObamaadministration.