Advocacy Through Legislation
Problem
Not having health insurance is a serious dilemma across the United Stated for different
populations. It can have many effects on the health of individuals and cause a financial burden
on the individuals and health care organizations. In 2018, 27.9 million non elderly individuals
were uninsured, an increase of nearly 500,000 from 2017. ("Key Facts about the Uninsured
Population", 2020) The opposing consequences in regard to the individuals who are affected
involve the delay or the failure in receiving the required medical care. In many scenarios’
individuals are less likely to get assessed for severe illnesses or diseases. Consequently, this
leads these individuals to seek out care at healthcare services in a more advanced stage of the
illness or in poor health conditions. With this issue these individuals are less likely to receive
therapeutic care for chronic life-threatening illnesses, this leads to poor patient outcomes.
Within many hospitals, absence of insurance can result in an upsurge in the charge and
frequency of uncompensated care. This leads to the cost and care given falling back on the
healthcare organization. Many of these populations tend to end up in the emergency room due
to the lack of health insurance. These individuals don’t have primary care providers, they don’t
follow up with appointments, and can’t afford their medication. These individuals are unable
to seek care through their primary care doctors or specialty doctors which leads to frequent
readmission with in different organizations. The target population for this issue is unemployed,
seniors, children, and disabled.
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Idea for Addressing Solution
Advocacy would be the preferred method of addressing this health care issue. Advocating for
financial assistance programs intended to diminish the financial tension on state, health
organizations, and the patient. Increasing the insurance attention could potentially decrease
health care cost, enhance the patient’s overall health, condense mortality and morbidity rates
for these individuals. This will in-turn increase the access to a wide-range of therapeutic health
care services specific for the patient. The lack of health coverage has been a persistent problem
in the U.S. The Affordable Care Act sought to address gaps in the health coverage system and
led to historic gains in health insurance coverage by extending Medicaid coverage to many
low-income individuals and providing Marketplace subsidies for individuals below 400% of
poverty. ("Key Facts about the Uninsured Population", 2020) There are multiple healthcare
services and programs that provide free and discounted medical services to those who don’t
have insurance; however, these programs should be easily assessable, and individuals should
be provided with information on these resources before getting sick. The Affordable Care Act
is a comprehensive health system reform law that will increase health insurance coverage
substantially for the uninsured and implement long overdue reforms to the health insurance
market. ("Key Facts about the Uninsured Population", 2020) Developing a way to use social
media could engage many with legislators thus providing chance for change with this issue.
Research the Issue
Evidence 1 Within New Jersey this same issue has affect many patients.
Governor Chris Christie was given the proposal to greatly
expand Medicaid in New Jersey, a plan that would extend
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coverage to hundreds of thousands of the uninsured, bring
tens of billions in federal funds to the state and, in the
process, produce savings for hospitals by reducing
uncompensated care expenses. ("Senate Resolution
Advocating For Medicaid Expansion Approved By
Assembly", 2013) The Medicaid in New Jersey currently
only covers families who are living in dangerous poverty.
However, it denies coverage for those adults without
children. The Governor stated, If we don't accept the
expansion, we will create a health care donut hole that will
leave these people without coverage." In addition to the
Affordable Care Act, the Medicaid expansion could bring in
$22 billion in federal funds, provide coverage to at least
234,000 of the uninsured and reduce by more than $300
million the state expenditure for uncompensated hospital
care, according to numerous studies by health care and
public policy organizations. ("Senate Resolution Advocating