Summary of the Key Issues in the Article
Preventative care can have a significant positive impact on patient outcomes and healthcare spending. Kliff (2023) reports that lawyers “reached a deal on Monday to keep the Affordable Care Act’s mandate requiring health plans to cover preventive care at no cost to patients.”
Therefore, insurance companies are required to cover preventative care, including pills preventing the spread of HIV, at no charge. It is an important change that brings back the recommendations proposed in 2010 about the positive effect of preventative care on overall healthcare costs (Kliff, 2023).
Authors’ Main Argument
Preventative care ensures better patient outcomes due to the prevention of various disease development and complications. The mandate should still be approved by the appellate court later this year. However, it can transform the healthcare system into more patient-centered and prevention-focused.
Evidence Supporting the Authors’ Viewpoint
The author uses lawyers’ agreements as evidence since they are the basis for the mandated approval. Additionally, the article uses experts’ opinions on the issue as the sources of information. The president of AHIP also commented on the topic, presenting the perspective of healthcare insurance companies. The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association supported the mandate and was the source of the population’s well-being. Therefore, the arguments are limited as the article is relatively brief. The author provides no stakeholders’ opinions, including those of patients and healthcare providers. The discussion presented in the article is informative and does not elaborate on various perspectives.
Identification of Key Stakeholders
The public, healthcare professionals, insurance companies, and organizations that support and promote preventive care and patient-centered approaches are critical stakeholders involved in the issue. The public presents all the patients receiving care and health insurance plans. They can benefit from the mandate and receive preventative care that can promote their well-being.
Various healthcare professionals, including nurses and physicians, are directly involved. Better access to preventative care will ensure better patient outcomes, potentially transforming healthcare and reducing the need for therapeutic treatments.
The mandate affects insurance companies as they are required to change their activities and cover preventative care, which they did not do previously. It can influence their business models and create new strategies for insurance plan promotion. Professional organizations often advocate for preventative care as it can improve the quality of care. Therefore, they are affected by the issue due to the need to spread awareness of new options available to the patients.
Impact on Other Healthcare Disciplines
The issue impacts all healthcare disciplines, including PT, OT, physicians, NPs, PAs, SWs, and others. Preventative care can improve access to healthcare and patient outcomes. They also need to promote patients’ right to receive preventative care at no charge under their insurance plans. They are required to be aware of new regulations to interact with patients according to new regulations.
Implications for Health Policy
The article can be applied to policy as it outlines the key points of the mandate on preventative care. It elaborates on the requirements currently related to insurance companies’ coverage of preventative care costs. Healthcare professionals can consider the points of the article to prepare for upcoming policy changes. Additionally, they can receive additional information about the issue based on the opinion provided by the author.
Reference
Kliff, S. (2023). Obamacare mandate for preventive care is restored, for now. The New York Time. Web.