My thoughts on The Affordable Care Act

The main definition of the Affordable Care Act is the federal legislation that extended health insurance coverage for uninsured individuals with low income.  The law was enacted in March, 2010 by President Barack Obama and the House of Representatives that helped millions of Americans gain access to healthcare coverage for many reasons. Also known as Obamacare, it has two major parts; the first is titled Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, second is Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act. The act was designed to make affordable insurance more available and expand tax credits for people with pre-existing conditions.  It went into effect in 2014, mandated insurance companies to accept all applicants at no cost and individuals to  buy health insurance when they need it. The law improved the quality of healthcare by reducing income inequalities of uninsured individuals ranging from 20 to 40 million.  The amendment overhauled individual markets in the expansion of Medicaid and employer based insurance plans, which allowed individuals to pay the taxes as healthcare coverage increases. 

 

            The ACA is vital to various populations in need, such as poverty, the mentally ill, and those with disabilities.  Those who need long term healthcare are eligible for Medicaid related benefits that are essential to address their needs.  The ACA gained support of the majority to lower the cost of healthcare and make sure insurers don’t deny the applicant’s status before receiving the benefits. 

 

            Not everyone can afford healthcare if they are sick or need immediate medical assistance. The ACA gives people adequate access to affordable medications and therapy appointments.  Not having healthcare coverage can put them at risk of serious conditions that require hospitalization, long term care in nursing homes and intensive care facilities, and even death.  Coverage is always important to not only increase the affordability of certain types of care but also save people’s lives.  There are many individuals that receive treatment because of the ACA.  Since 2010, the Obama administrations worked on the law that resulted in the decline of mortality rates over three years.  The ACA implemented Obamacare programs to improve medical capacity on hospitalized patients.  Research suggests that there were approximately 1.3 million fewer deaths since the law went into effect.  The conclusions about the research on affordable healthcare stated that about 12 million dollars are saved in addition to the number of survivors suffering from disease. Examples of patient related problems included in the ACA are high blood pressure, drug addiction, and infectious diseases that limit their chances of survival. 

 

            Millions of Americans have already gotten affordable insurance under ACA, which has been successful in keeping them out of debt while eliminating medical expenses.  The factors that covered people under these provisions include financial aid for insurance premiums and subsidies to provide them access to resources through Medicaid.  However, it is possible that the law will be overturned by the Supreme Court that could result in further consequences for healthcare systems.  The ruling against the act might have multiple effects on coverage, but actually we don’t know yet what will happen if it changes at some point.  Some parts of the law may remain in place if not totally erased.  Everyone needs health insurance for a lifetime so their health needs can be met.  For instance, it is difficult to afford doctor visits and treatment without health insurance and it increases the risk of developing severe symptoms if people delay care due to cost.  The goal is to live healthy lives and have the freedom to support ourselves and others.  We need to continue to do our best to avoid losing healthcare and find new ways to securely bring back affordable insurance even if the ACA no longer exists. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

My Life During Covid-19

 

Hi everyone! I want to share the story about the experiences of going through the troubling times throughout the global pandemic. I understand that it’s been a tough year for everybody and that many people all around the world are suffering. Because COVID-19 is one of the most dangerous and highly contagious diseases in my lifetime, avoiding catching it has been the only thing that I have really been doing since March, as we’re all put under lockdown measures to slow the spread of the virus. It’s challenging and insane. Millions of people worldwide got infected, however the government mandated wearing masks and social distancing in many states/territories to prevent it. So, I am updating the summary of what it’s like to live this way as a person with RTD. The story I’m telling will explain the important things people who are like me should do to keep themselves safe and healthy. I hope this information is helpful to give readers a better idea of accepting the terms of our lives during the pandemic. The summary provides the knowledge about the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the challenges you all have faced.  This is important to understand and recognize the precautions against the virus. 

 

I have RTD Type 2 which means I’m at a higher risk and I was told that I must avoid being around others in public. The risk for catching the virus causes symptoms that are temporarily difficult to control over a short time. I usually remain at home almost everyday with my family so I don’t go anywhere without an important reason. If I have to leave the house, I just stay in the car outside public facilities while waiting for someone to return so I have to sit around and follow the precautions.  Wearing a mask doesn’t always work for me since I am a high risk person in which I have to be careful not to expose myself anything. So avoiding shopping, doctor appointments, or social gatherings for me is important unless its completely necessary. The only thing I go out is for food...especially drive-thru and carry-out. My family goes to pick up dinner every Friday night from each other’s’ favorite restaurants. It is a fun activity that has made the lockdown enjoyable. I feel isolated and bored when being stuck at home right now. But I am doing online classes and personal projects which has been going well and keeps me busy. I’m currently taking a class that introduces me to social work and offers opportunities to explore professional pathways to see what type of career I would be interested in someday. Before the pandemic I made plans to do volunteer work and find a summer internship for work experience that I had to cancel once it started. It messed up my goals for the year as a result of frustration and uncertainty about the future. It saddened me and I feel like it is creating a life that I have no control over.  The transition to a virtual world brought new challenges we have overcome because we are so used to being social and everybody is forced to separate from society. For me, because of RTD I spend most of the time online throughout the pandemic and am struggling with face-to-face interactions more than usual. I haven’t been able to see any of my friends in person for a long time, however it helps to write to them back and forth as often as possible since it’s the only way I can socialize safely. Believe me or not, the health and safety are the highest priority to take care of and go through these challenging times.

 

 While many people lost their jobs, my father is able to work remotely so he still gets paid to support my family.  The government is sending checks to those who are unemployed as a type of financial assistance many people are eligible for.  I think they are trying to make a new stimulus package come together for those who need it. The Republicans are fighting it so there isn’t any new help yet. You know how lucky I am to have family around? I turned 23 in March and still live at my parents’ house so I can still rely on physical assistance with my daily routine. I have an assistant who works for me four days a week to help me with my schoolwork and other things around the house. My younger brother started his junior year of high school recently, but classes are all online.  My sister and I both are college students doing the same and it’s absolutely a difficult way of learning. Schools and community centers in my county remain closed following the outbreak. Remote employment and learning are the best ways to avoid putting your health at risk, although it doesn’t sound like fun. Therefore, when some businesses reopened too soon it led to a spike of COVID-19 cases and that’s reckless behavior. That’s why I can’t go in the public to get the chances of catching the virus. Hopefully it will go away, however it will take time to get this under control. This is how life is for everyone as the pandemic flourishes.

The good news is that we live in a time where technology makes our situation a little easier.  There is fast internet available that allows us to access school, business media and networking. People have the option of ordering groceries online and then driving to pick them up. I found it slightly overwhelming when the situation changed and we were beginning a virtual experience to help prevent COVID-19, but I am getting used to it. In my free time I’ve been trying to relax, create my artwork, and practice drumming to cope with the troubling times.

 

The advice I have for you is to hang in there. Things will improve when the case rate declines and the world gets back to normal. I’m hoping scientists will find a vaccine to work against the virus and allow lockdowns to be lifted safely. After that I hope to restart my planning for the career and get ready to enter into the independent life.