Since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), everyone has been holding their breath in anticipation of seeing its effects. In an attempt to curb health care costs by diluting the risk pool, the ACA has mandated that individuals get insurance or pay a fine. It is true that millions are more insured due … Continue reading
Just seven years ago, “aid in dying” or “assisted suicide,” was illegal throughout the United States with the exception of Oregon. Today, five additional states have passed “death with dignity” bills that allow terminally ill patients to choose to die with the help of their physician. Many praise this legislation for allowing patients who are … Continue reading
Recently, the Kaiser Family Foundation conducted a poll to judge the American public’s knowledge and opinion of the Affordable Care Act. Perhaps the most outrageous result from this poll is that, of those individuals uninsured, nearly 9 out of 10 of them did not know that open enrollment begins in November. Almost ninety percent of … Continue reading
Health care policy in our nation is a car with two engines and two drivers relentlessly pulling against each other, creating an incredible mess that will be a responsibility for those not driving to clean up. This endless tug-of-war is stopping anything from being accomplished, and it seems that neither side shows any signs of … Continue reading
Imagine a doctor that will come to you any time, any place or just a reliable, easy-to-reach person who will coordinate the logistics and timing of your health care. Sounds like a dream, right? It’s becoming more and more possible with rising start-ups, physicians increasingly leaving the traditional healthcare market, and an ever-changing policy environment. … Continue reading
In budgetary terms, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is anything but affordable. Though well-intentioned, it expands a poorly designed program and adds significant spending during a time of slow economic growth. This attempt to improve and expand health coverage to uninsured Americans is unduly expensive. In an already strained fiscal climate where the federal budget has reached … Continue reading
In one sense, Telehealth services and biometric devices are similar; both have the potential to improve access to a breadth of valuable health information. They are also different in a sense that the proliferation and use of biometric devices may have more profound long-term societal and policy implications when compared to telehealth services. Biometric devices … Continue reading
The day after a gunman stormed Fort Hood and the media reported the assumed presence of mental illness, the Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act of 2013, H.R. 3717. The Act aims to redistribute funding in mental health programs and to improve mental health services by … Continue reading
On Wednesday March 5th, the Obama Administration announced a second delay in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) mandate that requires health insurance plans to meet minimum requirements in health benefits. The mandate has been controversial since its conception. With the passage of the Affordable Care Act, this mandate established 10 essential benefits that must be … Continue reading
In an attempt to decrease health care costs, wellness initiatives have become increasingly popular programs offered by corporations. Health and wellness is an extremely important issue and when it comes to health care reform there should to be a larger personal responsibility component. Unhealthy lifestyles, such as inactivity, poor nutrition, tobacco use, and excessive alcohol … Continue reading
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