Running head: CHANGING LANDSCAPES OF HEALTH CARE 1

Changing Landscapes of Health Care

Beverly Landrum
HCS/490
July 28, 2014
Jean Carucci
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Changing Landscapes of Health Care
On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Affordable Care Act, or its
more informal name Obama Care. This new law was established to make sweeping health-care
reforms. The law will give citizens access to health care regardless of income or pre-existing
conditions.
Some of the benefits offered by Obama Care so far are:
Children cannot be denied care because of a pre-existing condition
Specific persons with pre-existing conditions can now have insurance
access
Young adults can stay in their parents insurance until the age of 26
Insurance coverage cannot be denied because of errors made on the
application, which was the norm in the past
Service like colonoscopies, mammograms, and other preventative tests
and services will be covered without co-pays
Primary care physicians are receiving increased Medicaid payments
The implementation for the large employer with 50 employees has been delayed until
2015 and will need to provide affordable insurance coverage for their employees or face
penalties. For individuals and families the cost of their health care will be based on their income,
and essential health care benefits will be covered without exceptions, which will include
preventative care, hospitalization, doctors visits, prescriptions and more.
1. Another change is the rights of the citizens. Obama Care allows all citizens access to
care even with pre-existing conditions, but also insurance companies will be
accountable for rate increases and wont simply set increases arbitrary. Health
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insurance can no longer be cancelled because you are sick, it is illegal health insurance
companies to cancel any coverage under the new reform, as well as benefits will no
longer have a lifetime or yearly dollar limit in regard to coverage. The citizens now
have the right to appeal a health insurance company if the citizen does not agree with
a health care plan (Obama 2014).
The largest challenges to the new reform will be the Integrated Health Care Delivery Systems.
There are 850 integrated health care delivery systems (IDS) in the United States today. The
challenges within the IDS will be to institute an integrated provider management plan. The plan
specifically should be engaging in:
Identifying and aligning key economic initiatives and incentives of the
participating provider organizations
Provide strong operational management by highly skilled specialists
Partnering with in patient and ambulatory care support services such as
home care, hospice, medical transportation companies, and wellness
centers
Expanding upon health system choices that are available to consumers and
accurately gauging their performances of delivery mechanisms
Manage patient care from cradle to grave along a continuum of care versus
treating episodic illnesses
Recruiting physician leaders
Identifying culture clashes
Of the integrated health care systems that have faced these challenges proponents believe
that attention to community health needs has improved, but newer risks have been created as the
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health care roles and degrees of authority have changed. A couple of reasons are providers
freedom of choice has been restricted and immediacy of access to health care has been reduced
(Boone 2000).
One of the most talked about challenges in the new health care reform for consumers is
the choice of physicians. Some consumers insurance providers may have changed the list of
health care providers and their physician may not have been added to the new list. It can be
frustrating to have the same physician for numerous of years and then be told they must change
because their insurance provider will not accept their physician. For the consumer to handle this
challenge, they may research the list and review the care through commits made by other
patients. They may also talk to friends and family asking about their physician and see of that
physician is included in their plan. Todays health care is more competitive than in the past, and
with research most consumers will be able to find the physician that can meet their health care
needs. Consumers also need to address when searching for the new physician whether the
facility can meet the set changes made by the new health care reform and whether the new
facility structure is conductive to the value of costumer intimacy (Pearl 2013).
In closing, the new reform has been a long time in the making and today still will need to
make changes to meet these challenges. IDSs will become any organizations most valued asset,
providing managed care that will meet the demand of the new reform and the patients added to
the health care system. The Integrated Health Information are assisting physicians and hospitals
with the need to become more efficient, and has the potential in increasing the quality of care. As
health care become more competitive, patients will have more choices than in the past for
improved medical health care at lower prices.

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References
Boone, B. (June 2000). Integrated Health Care Delivery Systems Challenges. Willis
Health Care Practice. Retrieved from the Internet July 26, 2014.
http://www.obama-health-care.org. The changing face of health care in America.
Retrieved from the Internet July 26, 2014.
Pearl, R. (2013). The Future Of Health Care: A Survival Guide. Retrieved form the
Internet July 26, 2014.