Key Takeaways
- The ACA has transformed the healthcare system.
- The ACA has made healthcare access available to more people.
- Obamacare focuses on incentivizing prevention instead of treatment.
Signed into law on March 23, 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) came along as comprehensive healthcare reform. ACA’s introduction changed several aspects of the American healthcare system. Its primary goal was to make adequate health insurance accessible to uninsured Americans.
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Also widely called Obamacare, ACA does not just increase insurance coverage for uninsured Americans. The act has also implemented reforms to the health insurance market, potentially leading to significant improvements in the healthcare system.
The major objective of the Affordable Care Act is to revamp the American healthcare system. Today’s post will cover the key components of ACA that the law expanded on to accomplish this goal.
A Look at How the Affordable Care Act Accomplishes its Major Objective
The complexity of the law and the biased nature of news reports over the years have left many still wondering, “What is the major objective of the Affordable Care Act?” The primary goal of the law is to reform the healthcare system, and here are the three ways it achieves the goal:
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1. Expanding Health Insurance Coverage
A significant portion of the US population was living uninsured or under-insured before ACA was introduced. Social disparities would make access to healthcare challenging for the under and uninsured US citizens.
ACA’s introduction allowed more people to access adequate health coverage and expanded incentives for providing preventive care. It also funds public health agencies and communities for better primary preventive programs.
2. Focus the Care Delivery on Prevention Instead of Treatment
Before the ACA, the American healthcare system primarily focused on care delivery through treatment rather than prevention. The American Public Health Association estimated that three-quarters of the US healthcare system’s costs were for treating preventable conditions.
Only 3% of the funds are allocated to prevention. ACA incentivized focusing on preventive care, making the healthcare system more efficient.
3. Make the Healthcare System More Efficient
Healthcare costs in the US have been historically higher than in other countries due to several critical inefficiencies. Focusing on treatment rather than prevention in care delivery was inefficient and unsustainable. By mandating reductions in out-of-pocket expenses and critical care delivery reforms, ACA has resulted in substantial long-term cost reduction for the American healthcare system, simultaneously making it more efficient and effective.
Final Thoughts
ACA came along to revamp how America’s healthcare and insurance systems work to make healthcare access better for all while improving their quality and reducing public costs. Obamacare has seen several improvements in the years since it was introduced.
Among the latest updates to ACA was a reduction of out-of-pocket costs for consumers by $400, making it even easier for people to sign up for insurance coverage between enrollment periods. Lower-income individuals will have even lower costs, making it a truly equitable healthcare system.
We hope you found this post explaining the major objective of the Affordable Care Act helpful. Keep checking this blog to read more informative posts about ACA to stay updated with the latest developments.
Updated February 13, 2023