Balancing the quality and safety with efficacy in the healthcare can be challenging for healthcare workers. Access to the basic health care is a hallmark of today’s society, yet so many people do not have an access to it. Ethical and financial part of the healthcare are tightly connected, and healthcare providers, especially nurses, face an ethical dilemma at work every day. In this post, I will describe ethical dilemma associated with the current state of population health and health disparities. Throughout this post, I will discuss the cultural underpinnings supporting pros and cons of health care reform and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in the United States (U.S.). Furthermore, I will explain how the principles of social justice and human …show more content…
Nurses, as patient advocates, play a big role in communicating and supporting patient’s wishes, even when doctors and families disagree (ANA, 2017). Health and healthcare disparities refer to differences in health and healthcare between population groups (Artiga, 2016). Disparities occur based on race, ethnicity, language, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, age, and disability (Artiga, 2016). Disparities in healthcare limit overall advancement and improvement in the quality of care and health for a large population and results in high and unnecessary cost (Artiga, 2016). These days, many groups are being uninsured, do not have an access to basic health care, and have poor health outcome (Artiga, 2016). People of color, such as Hispanics, Native Americans, and African Americans, and low-income individuals are mostly affected by the health and health care disparities. Health disparities result in a higher number of ill people, injuries, disabilities, and mortality (Artiga, 2016). Patient experience and satisfaction rates of groups that are affected are lower (Artiga, …show more content…
Even though the ACA reduced the number of uninsured people health care disparities still exist. The ACA also supports and promotes workforce diversity as well as cultural competency, increases funds for health care workers, and supports cultural competence training (Artiga, 2016). Pros to healthcare reform and ACA are that many uninsured people can obtain and afford health insurance at a low cost, there is also a protection ensured that one will not lose the coverage if he/she gets sick. Additionally, a woman can not be charged more due to gender preference (ProCon, 2016). Some cons related to healthcare reform and ACA are providing insurance for more people comes with the cost to the rest of us, meaning our taxes are increased. It is regulated by the law that whoever can afford the insurance must obtain one, exempt, or pay a fee, and some people do not agree with this. Searching for insurance got more complicated due to more options (ProCon,
Racial and ethnic inequalities in healthcare results in non-white patients receiving lower quality care that White patients. Additionally, people who speak limited English encounter more communication issues with doctors and nurses that people whose primary language is English. (AHRQ, 2011). Consequently, as people with chronic conditions utilize more healthcare services, they are more likely to complain of issues with the doctor-patient relationship. They feel as though they are not able to participate in their care, their doctors do not allow them to contribute to their medical decisions and they feel like doctors are not disclosing all information related to care. People who encounter this type of cultural ignorance become dissatisfied with their treatment and overall healthcare experience and are at high risk for negative
The aim of affordable care act (ACA) was to extend health insurance coverage to around 15% of US population who lack it. These include people with no coverage from their employers and don’t have coverage by US health programs like Medicaid (Retrieved from, https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/affordable-care-act/). To achieve this, the law required all Americans to have health insurance which is a reason of controversy because, it was inappropriate intrusion of government into the massive health care industry and insult to personal liberty. To make health care more affordable subsidies are offered and the cost of the insurance was supposed to be reduced by bringing younger, healthier people to the health insurance system. This could be controversial, if older, sicker people who need the coverage most enter the market but younger group decline to do so. The insurance pool will be unbalanced and the cost of coverage will rise correspondingly.
Today, there are so many legal dilemmas dominating trial for the courts to make a sound legal decision on whose right in a complicated situation. Despite the outcome of the case, the disagreement usually has a profound effect on the healthcare organization, and the industry as a whole. Many cases are arguments centered around if the issue is a legal or moral principle. Regardless what the situation maybe, the final decision is left to the courts to differentiate between the legality issues at hand opposed to justifying a case based on moral rules. According to Pozgar (2012), an ethical dilemma arises in situations where a choice must be made between unpleasant alternative. It can occur whenever a choice involves giving up something good and suffering something bad, no matter what course of action is taken (p. 367). In this paper, I will discuss cases that arose in the healthcare industry that have been tried and brought to justice by the United States court system.
To begin, one of the common reasons cited in support of Obamacare is a decrease in health and gender-based discrimination by insurance companies. The changes in requiring all Americans to have affordable coverage, as well as changes in how insurers can set premiums, will allow those with medical conditions and disabilities, as well as women who need pregnancy care the ability to have healthcare insurance without having to potentially be denied coverage or forced to pay a much higher than average price (The Pros and Cons of ObamaCare 1).
The author feels that patient centered care cannot be compromised due to a patient’s socioeconomic status. Nurses are held to a strict Code of Ethics, set by the American Nurses Association (ANA) along with policies set by the employer. The first provision of the ANA Code of Ethics states, “the nurse, in all professional relationships, practices with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth, and uniqueness of every individual, unrestricted by considerations of social or economic status, personal attributes, or the nature of health problems” (ANA, 2011). Nurses are expected to abide by the Code of Ethics throughout their practice, unlike Helen who blatantly makes her personal beliefs
According to Glenn Kessler, (2011), a fact checker for the ACA quoted the president as pleading that “if you like your insurance, you can keep it” for cost measures with no clear direction of implementation for employer sponsored healthcare coverage for the employee. Insurance companies wouldn't have to make up losses by jacking up costs, and the average Joe wouldn't have to pay a fine for not buying health insurance. I think the biggest problem is the assumption that having insurance equates to having affordable healthcare. Americans have been barraged because the ACA is built on the assumption that health care is not a privilege, it is right and is a requirement of the law available to all Americans for healthcare coverage. For the ACA there is more of the negative than the positive for the poor, the independent contractor, the individual, the business, employers and the employees, and the legislature has everyone guessing who the beneficiaries of the Affordable Care Act are.
“Public health is controversial because, depending upon how it is defined, it may challenge people’s values and demand sacrifices” (Schnieder 2017: 23). Although the overall goal is to create a policy that is inclusive of every group, this is almost impossible. It is impossible because there are too many conflicting views between each group. Public policy may also have a positive or a negative impact on the economy. One of the major conflict with public health policy is that it may be guided by religious beliefs. For example, issues such as AIDS, other sexual transmitted disease, teenage pregnancy, and low birth rates (20) are some of the major issues that end up being controversial when it comes to religion.
Environmental justice can influence the population’s health. This environmental justice is relevant to nursing, because awareness brings changes and can save and improve many lives. When a person in a hospital or in a community setting is affected by a health problem, the entire community is at risk, knowing the population is lack of knowledge and have limited access to understand health care system. Therefore, a solution to eliminating cultural disparities is optimal for immigrant communities. In conformity with the Journal of Transcultural Nursing journal, nurses need to follow 12 steps to have a successful result when integrating cultural competence in the health care environment: social justice, critical reflection, knowledge of cultures, culturally competent practice, cultural competence in the health care systems and organizations, patient advocacy and empowerment, multicultural workforce, education and training in culturally competent care, cross-cultural communication, cross-cultural leadership, policy development, a...
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) or ObamaCare as it is widely known, has been a controversial political debate since day one. The Republicans have tried over 50 times to repeal it, to no avail. Like any other bill, there are good sides and negative consequences to it. People can go to healthcare.gov to sign up for insurance under the ACA. There is a plethora of information on the site about what should be covered, who has to participate, who can be exempt, where to get healthcare, why you should have insurance, and how to get it, along with a lot of other information under the Topic selection at the top of the screen. While there is a lot to go through and understand, the ACA still remains widely misunderstood for millions of Americans.
The ACA expanded Medicare/ Medicaid, strengthened employer based care, and included an individual mandate. Before the ACA there were 32 million people uninsured and “approximately half, or 16 million, will gain coverage through an expansion of Medicaid” (Barr, 2011, p. 292). To improve the cost of care the ACA required employers with more the 50 employees to offer plans and individuals would have to purchase plans from the government. “ACA does not address directly the issue of disparities in access of care based on a patient’s race or ethnicity, it does impose on providers the responsibility for collecting data on the race or ethnicity, primary language, disability status, and similar demographic characteristics of patients cared for” (Barr, 2011, p. 293). The ACA strives to give health coverage to all but the power still lies in the private sector.
In March 2010, under the Obama administration, the United States enacted major health-care reform. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 expands coverage to the majority of uninsured Americans, through: (a) subsidies aimed at lower-income individuals and families to purchase coverage, (b) a mandate that most Americans obtain insurance or face a penalty,
I say this because a person shouldn’t have to pay ridiculous rates for quality care and I like to know that when I have to get insurance, I’ll have more protection against discrimination since I’m female. And, it’s unfair that certain groups of people pay higher rates because they’re considered to carry a higher risk for something that may never be a factor. If they prove themselves to be high risk by behavior, their lifestyle, or their condition worsens, then, prices should increase. Problems health care reform could cause would be religious tension because of contradictions between law and morals. Another possible problem could be employees paying more for health coverage from their
Healthcare is viewed in an unrealistic way by most individuals. Many people view a physician as the only means to find a solution to their problem. Nurses are still seen by some as simply “the person who does what the doctor says.” This is frustrating in today’s time when nurses are required to spend years on their education to help care for their patients. In many situations nurses are the only advocate that some patients’ have.
This stark reality underscores the fact that various patient cohorts encounter varying levels of treatment results, service quality, and access to healthcare resources. It also highlights the many aspects of healthcare inequalities, such as those associated with socioeconomic status, racial/ethnic background, language barriers, and institutional policies that result in uneven treatment and health outcomes. It is imperative that we acknowledge and rectify these systemic disparities in the healthcare system to enhance patient outcomes and promote healthcare equity. As an individual with African ancestry, I can deeply and personally attest that healthcare inequalities in our healthcare system are a multifaceted and concerning problem. My specialized expertise and experience in this domain have exposed me to the inequalities in access to services, quality of treatment, and health outcomes that individuals from various socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds face.
This article explain how healthcare providers should treat people as individuals, not to discriminate and act as an advocate for individuals receiving care. Also, how nurses should provide individual holistic care by playing an active role in ensuring that services within the hospital or community reflect the diverse needs of every individual irrespective of their background and also highlight the purpose of the Equality Act 2010 to healthcare providers and who it protects as far as discrimination is concern.