Lecture 13: Health Care Reform Flashcards
Cost of health care in the United States
- Health care is 16.4% of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product
- Trends are unsustainable
Access to health care in the United States
- Uninsured leads to more serious & more expensive care
- Uninsured care reduces preventive care
Quality of health care in the United States
- Life expectancy in the U.S. is 81.2 (W) and 76.4 (M)
- Behind many other countries
Attempts to Contain Costs
- Shift from fee-for-service to managed care
- Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRGs):
- Capitation for Medicare (Part A) Hospital Care
Professional Standards Review Organizations
Peer Review Organizations
Certificate-of-Need Requirements for Capital Improvements
Kerr-Mills Act (1960)
coverage for elderly indigent individuals
- Federal Effort to Increase Health Care Access
Medicare (1965)
social health insurance; coverage for those > 65 years,
disabled, or with kidney disease
-Federal Effort to Increase Health Care Access
Medicaid (1965)
Federal-state program for low-income individuals
- Federal Effort to Increase Health Care Access
HIPAA (1996)-health insurance companies must:
not deny coverage due to preexisting medical conditions,
as long as exclusionary period up to 1 year for that condition
sell to small employer groups & individuals who lose coverage regardless of their
health history
renew policies
include patient privacy requirements in law
Health Savings Accounts (HSA) — Medical Savings Accounts (MSA)
Tax-free savings accounts used for out-of-pocket medical expenses for high-deductible health (HDHP) insurance plans
Total out-of-pocket spending is capped
Limit changes annually
Flexible Spending Account (FSA) – employer based
Use for any approved medical or child care expense
“Use it or lose it” annually
Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (ACA) 2010
- Expand access to healthcare services
- Tax penalty for those who don’t enroll in a health insurance plan
- Creates State-based or Federal health insurance exchanges
- Medicaid expansion—under age 65 and income up to 135% of federal poverty level
- Dependent coverage for adult children to age 26
Essential benefits (MUST) be covered! For ex:
- Outpatient visits
- Emergency Services
- Hospitalization
- Maternity care
- Mental health and SUDs
- Prescription drugs – not all but an essential formulary
- Rehabilitation
- Labs
- Preventive / wellness / chronic disease management
- Pediatrics
Affordable Care Act
Funding for increased access
Employer & individual tax penalties
Reduce amount allowed for contributions to FSAs
Tax on nonprofit hospitals failing to comply with new requirements
Annual fees for pharmaceutical manufacturing and health insurance
companies
High premiums ->
Lower consumer cost-sharing
Low premiums ->
Higher consumer cost-sharing
Marketplace Plans: Metal Levels
Platinum
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Platinum Level
Plan pays 90%
Consumer pays 10% for dedecutibles, Co-pays and Coinsurance
Gold
Plan pays 80%
Consumer pays 20%
Silver
Play pays 70%
Consumer pays 30%
Bronze
Plan pays 60%
Consumer pays 40%
Actuarial Value
% of total covered expenses (on avg)
Coinsurance
The percentage of costs of a covered health care service you pay after your deductible has been meet
Co-Payment
A fixed amount, you pay for a covered health care service after you’ve paid your deductible
- It’s a fee you pay when you receive a healthcare service
Cost-sharing
refers to the patients portion of costs for healthcare services covered by their health insurance plan
- Insurer and health insurer both pay a portion of your medical costs during the year