Healthcare reforms that have been started under the Obama regime will take a more definitive shape once the health insurance marketplaces are established.
These are also referred to as Exchanges though they are essentially regulated and streamlined markets where health insurance can be purchased in a more affordable,
easier and informed manner. The exchanges, whether state or federal, should be created by October 2013 as a part of mandates of the ACA.
One of the main focuses of the exchanges during the first year of their operation would be to provide health insurance to the underprivileged. These are people who cannot afford insurance despite the presence of Medicare and Medicaid that are in the business of providing highly-discounted health insurance to the masses. Many people are in the bracket where they are not eligible for Medicaid but cannot afford basic health insurance too. Such people, including the minorities, who have traditionally been uninsured, will have a definitive chance to get reasonably comprehensive health insurance once the state or federal exchanges take shape.
Health insurance coverage will be made more affordable via a combined approach of the health exchanges. This includes the provision of premium tax credits to those who are below a certain economic marking and can establish their inability to buy insurance. The idea is to ensure that disparities in healthcare are removed and everybody, no matter how rich or poor, has access to useful health insurance and high quality medical care. This is why African Americans who are estimated to be uninsured nearly two times than the remaining population will gain from a wider coverage umbrella with the creation of the health insurance exchanges.
The health reforms mandated as per the ACA have been created in coordination with organizations like the National Institute of Minority Health. This establishment has been upgraded to the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities, acting as a comprehensive Institute with an emphasis on observing and notifying about minority health. It is responsible for codifying the laws from the Office of Minority Health that functions within the realm of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). It has been further empowered with a network of smaller minority health offices that help to record healthcare trends.
One of the bigger, most talked about achievements of the healthcare law has been the upgrade in preventive services. Some of these are attached to Medicare and can be enquired about at the time of Medicare enrollment. This basically refers to making different types of preventive health care tests and screenings that were earlier chargeable. For instance, mammograms that are useful for diagnosing breast cancer can now be demanded free of cost by women across the nation. Similarly, more cancer screenings, wellness tests, well woman exams, etc. will now be offered without any charges, many as a mart of Medicare enrollment, eligibility.
All such medical tests or procedures will be exempted from deductibles, co-pays or any kind of cost-sharing requirement. These changes have already come into effect from 2011 and every day, thousands of Americans are getting first hand updates about their health without having to worry about the payments.
To ensure that community care for the minorities is not ignored, chronic disease controlling management has also been put in place. Many health teams will now monitor the need for creating health awareness programs and community care treatment programs. This is extremely important considering that nearly 50% African-Americans suffer from chronic diseases. The exchange marketplace is due to get more competitive and organized with the creation of small business health insurance options program or the Shop Exchange.
Understanding that people will increasingly prefer to buy their insurance from health exchanges or open health insurance marketplaces, many of the leading insurers have already started developing their own private health exchanges. These are akin to state or federal exchanges but don’t have to follow the guidelines of the state or federal government.
