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Running Head: Discussion Thread
Tonya Wright
BUSI511 Healthcare Administration
Discussion Thread: The Future of Health Services Delivery
November 8, 2023
Respectfully submitted to: Brian Grant
Author Note
I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to
Email:
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Discussion Thread
Discussion Thread: The Future of Health Services Delivery
Affordable Care Act
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed by President Barack Obama in 2010 and was slowly
rolled out over a few years. “The ACA has (at least) 3 major goals: (1) expanding coverage (and
“reforming” the individual insurance market), (2) slowing health care spending and keeping it at
a sustainable rate, and (3) improving clinical quality” (Wilensky, 2015).
Coverage has been expanded for Americans in all walks of life, even those with pre-existing
conditions. The Health Insurance Marketplace was opened on October 1, 2013, and allowed all
Americans the ability to enroll in an insurance plan if one was not offered by their employer
(The Impacts of the Affordable Care Act on Preparedness Resources and Programs: Workshop
Summary. 2014). “Under the law, most individuals who can afford it will be required to obtain
basic health insurance coverage or pay a fee to help offset the costs of caring for uninsured
Americans” (The Impacts of the Affordable Care Act on Preparedness Resources and Programs:
Workshop Summary. 2014). This mandate was repealed by President Donald Trump as it was
found to be unconstitutional. Provider payments have also changed due to the ACA, in that
payments went from payment based on the volume of patients seen to the value of the care given
to patients. “The ACA also emphasized quality improvement and measurement in its strategic
plan for health information technology (IT) and proposed the use of health IT as a tool to
improve patient safety” (Shi & Singh, 2023, p. 161). The ACA has faced many legal battles, and
the only one that has happened is the repeal of the personal mandate. “Legal challenges to the
ACA have not survived; hence, the legislation remains largely intact” (Shi & Singh, 2023, p.
305). While the ACA is driven by admirable goals, its complete achievement depends on the
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American population's acceptance of government-funded insurance, a trend that is gradually
gaining momentum.
Future of Health Service Delivery
The future of health care delivery in the United States will be influenced by numerous factors.
One prominent factor that the health care delivery system must swiftly prepare for is the aging
population. This demographic shift will not only increase the demand for health care but also
lead to the retirement of health care providers, affecting the workforce. “An adequate and well-
trained workforce is a critical component of the health care delivery infrastructure” (Shi &
Singh, 2023, p. 312). With an increase in health care professionals leaving the workforce, it may
be integral for health care to institute cross-training and many other skill developments to help
fill the gaps in lost workers. Another significant factor to consider is immigration, including
illegal immigration. “According to Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), a
nonpartisan public interest organization, illegal immigration into the United States has many
negative consequences and represents a net drain on public funds” (Shi & Singh, 2023, p. 304).
Illegal immigration is reaching record levels in the United States, causing the portion of gross
domestic product (GDP) allocated to health care to steadily increase. Technological progress is
another domain that will transform the future of health care delivery not only in the United States
but globally. Nevertheless, Americans exhibit a strong preference for embracing innovative
technologies and desire the latest advancements to assist in their health care, and an example of
this is the 21st Century Cures Act of 2016 (Shi & Singh, 2023, p. 305). This act aims to advance
medical innovation and providing access to new treatments in a timely manner. Health care costs
in the United States are continuing to rise despite the government trying to reign in the cost
through many different acts. “…to ensure that all Americans are covered by health insurance and
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Discussion Thread
have access to health care when needed, costs must be reduced and brought in line with growth
of the gross domestic product (GDP)” (Shi & Singh, 2023, p. 307). The ACA tried to reign in this
spending but has yet to actually meet this goal. The future of health service delivery is one that
will depend on many factors and will be interesting to watch unfold.
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References
The Impacts of the Affordable Care Act on Preparedness Resources and Programs: Workshop
Summary. (2014). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK241401/
Shi, L., & Singh, D. A. (2023). Essentials of the U.S. Health Care System. Jones & Bartlett
Learning.
Wilensky, G. R. (2015). Meeting the ACA's Goals. The Milbank Quarterly, 93(4), 671-
674. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-0009.12157
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