State legislatures have the power to issue laws in accordance with the democratically-expressed wishes of the members of states in which they operate. In addition to having legislative powers, the governmental branches also exert financial powers. The legislatures have a certain range of control over the executive functions of states. However, these powers are limited by federal regulations and constitutional implications. State governments play an essential role in improving the health outcomes of their residents (CBS This Morning, 2014; HLBA Loyola Law School, 2015).
Unfortunately, federal regulations do not always function as the most appropriate tools for controlling the cost of healthcare in individual states (HealthHappensHere, 2016; Milliman, Inc., 2012; RockfellerInstitute, 2011). For example, in New Jersey, some hospitals have hiked their prices by 326 percent above the nation’s average (Dr. Marion Thorpe, 2010). Therefore, the most important health issue that has to be tackled by state governments is the regulation of healthcare costs.
To introduce meaningful changes in the current state of healthcare in the country, the involvement of the following groups is needed: political parties, Congress, medical interest groups, media, and state legislatures. By closely working together, these stakeholders can not only control the rising costs of healthcare services but also tackle the issue of exclusionary displacement that burdens marginalized communities across the US (TEDx Talks, 2015).
When it comes to healthcare access in different states, there is no balance (Schnurer, 2015; Vox, 2017). Healthcare is more affordable for residents of wealthier states due to their large budgets. These outcomes are also related to the role of state legislatures in determining the amount of health insurance subsidies and other details of healthcare reforms (LastWeekTonight, 2014; “State laws,” 2017).
Opponents of universal healthcare coverage argue that only private citizens should pay for medical services (Barker, 2017). It has to do with the fact that the adoption of the socialized approaches to the distribution of healthcare services can result in rationing and price increases (“Pros and cons,” 2017). Therefore, it is necessary to consider whether the government should subsidize healthcare. Also, how can the federal and state legislatures create meaningful incentives for pursuing high-quality services for government-controlled providers?
Resources
Pros and cons of universal health care. (2017). Web.
Barker, D. (2017). The economics of the affordable care act. Web.
CBS This Morning. (2014). Brittany’s choice: 29-year-old reignites about aid in dying. Web.
Dr. Marion Thorpe. (2010). Should states regulate hospital rates. Web.
HealthHappensHere. (2016). A tale of two zip codes. Web.
HLBA Loyola Law School. (2015). Health insurance regulation: Law, policy, & politics. Web.
LastWeekTonight. (2014). State legislatures and ALEC: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO). Web.
Milliman, Inc. (2012). Understanding healthcare costs: Medicaid. Web.
RockfellerInstitute. (2011). What federal health care reform means for state and local government-Q & A. Web.
Schnurer, E. (2015). The state-level future of healthcare reform. The Atlantic. Web.
State laws and actions challenging certain health reforms. (2017). Web.
TEDx Talks. (2015). What we don’t understand about gentrification| Stacey Sutton| TEDx New York. Web.
Vox. (2017). Medicaid, explained: Why it’s worse to be sick in some states than others. Web.