Health Reform

“Whether or not you have health insurance right now, the reforms we seek will bring stability and security that you don’t have today. This isn’t about politics. This is about people’s lives. This is about people’s businesses. This is about our future.”

~ President Barack Obama ~

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), one of the most significant social policy bills enacted in decades. The law is projected to provide health insurance coverage to more than 32 million Americans, establish oversight of the health insurance market, improve the health care delivery system, promote prevention and public health, and support a number of new programs and services. While the act’s provisions will continue to be implemented through 2016, its reforms are already benefiting millions of Americans in important ways.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, since the passing of the ACA, more than 2.5 million young adults have gained health insurance, more than 40,000 Americans with pre-existing medical conditions gained affordable coverage, 350 new community health centers were built and nearly 19,000 new jobs created, more than 2 million seniors saved more than $1.2 billion on prescription drugs, monthly premiums of seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage decreased by 14%, more than 22.6 million seniors and people with disabilities accessed no-cost sharing preventive services, and nearly $3 billion in fraudulent claims were halted in 2011 alone.

However, Florida has yet to move forward with any aspect of ACA implementation which has left the state “a lap behind” compared to others. Florida, the lead state in a legal challenge to the constitutionality of the ACA, has maintained a continuously hostile stance toward the law, for instance, placing a proposed constitutional amendment intended to invalidate a key ACA provision on the ballot. The state also has rejected, refused to accept, or declined to seek a number of federal funding opportunities which has resulted in tens of millions of dollars lost which has gone to other states for their implementation efforts.

As we await the US Supreme Court’s decision on the constitutionality of ACA, Health Foundation of South Florida remains committed to working with state and local agencies as well as other community-based organizations in identifying how to best take advantage of ACA related opportunities to create a better health care delivery system focused on primary care and prevention. The Foundation will continue to support public education and awareness efforts to better inform the public about the benefits, opportunities, and potential consequences of the ACA. For more information on health care reform efforts in Florida, visit Florida CHAIN: http://www.floridachain.org/.