This law, officially known as the Individual Mandate and sometimes informally called “Obamacare,” was signed in March 2010. It is composed of two parts: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and The Health Care and Reconciliation Act. It also includes additional amendments to other laws including the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and the Health and Public Services Act.
The Affordable Care Act was designed to reform the health care system by providing affordable insurance coverage and access to quality health care for all Americans while curbing or controlling the cost of health care spending. In addition, it is designed to eliminate discrimination in delivering services and charging for those services.
As of this printing, the future of the Individual Mandate is not clear. However, health care is sure to be a continued topic of political debate.
Health care reform in the United States has increased the emphasis on primary care. It has also dramatically expanded the number of people with health care coverage to more than 32 million. As a result, it is anticipated that the number of patients seeking outpatient care will also rise, expanding the need for qualified providers and allied health professionals to deliver these services. To contain costs, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and medical assistants will play valuable and increasingly important roles in the U.S. health care system.
Medical assistants must be familiar with all insurance plans and understand provider and patient responsibilities, both to deliver the highest level of customer service and to assure that payment is received in a timely manner. Continuing education in the area of health care coverage is imperative in this ever-changing arena.