NURS 6050:Politics and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
NURS 6050:Politics;Politics and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
Regardless of political affiliation, individuals often grow concerned when considering perceived competing interests of government and their impact on topics of interest to them. The realm of healthcare is no different. Some people feel that local, state, and federal policies and legislation can be either helped or hindered by interests other than the benefit to society.
Consider for example that the number one job of a legislator is to be reelected. Cost can be measured in votes as well as dollars. Thus, it is important to consider the legislator’s perspective on either promoting or not promoting a certain initiative in the political landscape.
To Prepare:
Review the Resources and reflect on efforts to repeal/replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Consider who benefits the most when policy is developed and in the context of policy implementation.Post an explanation for how you think the cost-benefit analysis in terms of legislators being reelected affected efforts to repeal/replace the ACA. Then, explain how analyses of the votes views may affect decisions by legislative leaders in recommending or positioning national policies (e.g., Congress’ decisions impacting Medicare or Medicaid). Remember, the number one job of a legislator is to be re-elected. Please check your discussion grading rubric to ensure your responses meet the criteria. Supported by at least three current, credible sources.
Required Readings
Milstead, J. A., & Short, N. M. (2019). Health policy and politics: A nurse’s guide (6th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Chapter 3, “Government Response: Legislation” (pp. 37–56)
Chapter 10, “Overview: The Economics and Finance of Health Care” (pp. 180–183 only)
Congress.gov. (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2018, from https://www.congress.gov/
Taylor, D., Olshansky, E., Fugate-Woods, N., Johnson-Mallard, V., Safriet, B. J., & Hagan, T. (2017). Corrigendum to position statement: Political interference in sexual and reproductive health research and health professional education. Nursing Outlook, 65(2), 346–350. doi:10.1016/j.outlook.2017.05.003.
United States House of Representatives. (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2018, from https://www.house.gov/
United States Senate. (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2018, from https://www.senate.gov/
United States Senate. (n.d.). Senate organization chart for the 115th Congress. Retrieved September 20, 2018, from https://www.senate.gov/reference/org_chart.htm
NURS 6050:Politics Answer
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been a subject of political contention in the United States since its enactment in 2010, with numerous calls for its repeal. The question of what should replace the ACA has sparked considerable controversy among its opponents. Conducting a cost-benefit analysis to assess its impact on legislators’ chances of re-election becomes imperative, given that the primary objective of legislators is often to secure and retain their seats in office (Jost, 2017).NURS 6050:Politics
It is essential for legislators to recognize that the repeal of the ACA would result in a substantial reduction in federal government spending on non-elderly healthcare. In 2021 alone, this reduction is estimated at $90.9 billion, with a cumulative decrease of $927 billion between 2017 and 2026, constituting a 21.1% reduction in federal spending (Buettgens et al., 2016). Nevertheless, this reduction would give rise to other costs, including an upsurge in the number of uninsured individuals and a decline in Medicaid expansion enrollment (Buettgens et al., 2016). Moreover, it is estimated that 9.4 million individuals who would have been eligible for tax credits for private coverage would lose this vital assistance (Buettgens et al., 2016).NURS 6050:Politics
The reduction in federal Medicaid spending would be offset by an increase in uncompensated care costs at the state level. Additionally, a legislator’s position on supporting the repeal of the ACA may be influenced by the political administration of their home state. In states where Republican leadership prevails, legislators may encounter strong pressure to support the repeal of the ACA due to the prevailing political climate in their state.
