I found the topic you chose on prescription drug benefits and expanded health care needs enlightening. I was originally considering focusing on that same topic. I really like the insight you gave on each of the former and current Presidents view on that area of health care reform.
Former President Bush accomplished many areas of health care reform and notably as you mentioned was signing into legislation laws that would make Medicare prescription drug coverage available to 40 million seniors and people with disabilities according to President Bush’s State of the Union address in 2004. He approved prescription drug discount cards and monetary allowances up to $600 to help low income beneficiaries purchase their medications (President Bush, 2004). Former President Bush also wanted to achieve equality for the American public by implementing upwards of 1,200 new and expanded health center sites to serve underserved populations which lead to the treatment of an additional 6.1 million people by the year 2006 (President Bush, 2004). You mentioned in your discussion that President Bush’s administration had a goal of ensuring Americans had free will in choosing private healthcare plans with no premiums and supplemental benefits, and in 2002 President Bush signed into law legislation that helped fund $100 million to states who established and helped high risk populations receive necessary care that they would otherwise not be able to receive due to financial strain. (President Bush, 2004).
Former President Obama also had a passion for improving health care in America and he went about it with the goal of having every American covered by some form of health insurance. President Obama’s Administration focused similarly to Former President Bush on wanting to establish financial assistance to help individuals and families afford health care coverage who otherwise could not afford it through state and federal marketplaces (The Record, n.d.). President Obama’s healthcare reform also focused on closing the “donut hole” which would decrease the coverage gap for Medicare prescription drug coverage that our senior population could not afford (The Record, n.d.); by closing this gap it would allow for seniors to still receive their medications even when they were in the “gap” of high coverage by decreasing their out of pocket expense. I found similar information that supported what you wrote Vanna, that under the Affordable Care Act the administration would ensure individual and small business health plans included essential health benefits, covering emergency services, hospitalizations, maternity and newborn care and preventative care (The Record, n.d.).
I found it interesting that when President Trump was running his campaign in 2016 his focus was to revamp and abolish the Affordable Care Act, however, much of what Trump was hoping to accomplish was not all that different from his predecessors. President Trump’s health care initiative focused on lower prescription drug prices and making new affordable healthcare options available (The White House, 2019). The Trump Administration has pursued empowering consumers to be in control of their healthcare by providing transparency and allowing American’s the choice to choose their healthcare needs. Under the current Trump Administration prescription drug prices fell in 2018 for the first time in nearly five decades and new generic drug approvals saved consumers $26 billion through the first year and a half of President Trump’s Administration according to the White House Fact Sheet (2019).
Discussion: Presidential Agendas NURS 6050
All the Presidential Administrations have wanted to protect Americans right to received low cost, high quality healthcare. In each of the Presidential Administration there have been benefits to the American consumer, some costed more to the taxpayers, but each vision was to restore the greater good to the consumer. Healthcare is always going to be at the forefront of Presidential elections and Presidential Agendas. One of the greatest ability nurses have is to be part of current and future changes to healthcare. Professional nurses have a strong, persistent voice in designing such a healthcare system for today and for the future (Milstead & Short, 2019 pp. 13). We are a unique and diverse group of experts that can shape healthcare for the greater good of Americans. According to Milstead and Short by developing credibility with those active in the political process and demonstrating integrity and moral purpose as client advocates, nurses are becoming players in the complex process of policymaking (pp. 12). Nurses can help drive policy and play an integral part in an ever-changing healthcare system from one Administration to the next.
Resources
Milstead, J. A., & Short, N. M. (2019) Health Policy and Politics: A Nurses Guide (6th ed.). Burlington, M: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
The Record. (n.d.). President Obama on Health: Improving Health for All Americans. [Press release]. theRecord_health.pdf (archives.gov)
The White House, Fact Sheet. (October,2019). President Donald J. Trump’s Healthcare Agenda Puts Seniors and American Patients First. President Donald J. Trump’s Healthcare Agenda Puts Seniors and American Patients First | The White House
The White House, Fact Sheet. (January, 2004). The President’s Health Care Agenda. Fact Sheet: the President’s Health Care Agenda (Text Only) (archives.gov)
Agenda of the President Based on Health Policy Decision
The American Health Care Act (AHCA) was proposed by President Donald Trump to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Trump’s health policy sought to eliminate market entry barriers for prescription drugs and increase price transparency. In addition, the policy aimed to prevent the states from receiving grants from the Children’s Health Insurance Program and Medicaid. The AHCA was voted on and passed in the House, but President Trump did not sign it into law (John, 2020). The primary policies designed to allow individuals to deduct health insurance premiums in full from their tax returns.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was proposed by Barack Obama and signed into law in 2010. The primary objective of the Affordable Care Act was to reduce the amount paid by families and individuals for uncompensated care. Therefore, unless individuals qualified for hardship or other exemptions, everyone was required to acquire a health insurance plan (Lambrew, 2018). The policy also prohibited insurance companies from denying coverage to patients with preexisting conditions or overcharging them. Moreover, the ACA aimed to make healthcare coverage affordable by offering subsidies to low-income families.
Bush intended to reform Flexible Savings Accounts (FSAs) and Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs). The policy emphasized insurance reduction, health care cost reduction, and consumer choice (Rundio, 2017). Therefore, Bush offered families a credit for up to 90 percent of the cost of health insurance, with the amount of the credit determined by the recipient’s income growth. Additionally, Bush focused on removing federal regulation on state health programs and assisting small businesses in obtaining insurance through associations (Lambrew, 2018). If I were president, I would not focus on replacing the existing health care policies, but rather on introducing a new policy that would be more beneficial.
References
John, B. S. (2020). Impacts of Platforms for Healthcare Reform on Children with Special Healthcare Needs
Lambrew, J. M. (2018). What past presidential campaigns can teach us about 2020 health reform preparations. Commonwealth.
Rundio, A., 2017. The cost of healthcare reform is being assessed. Nursing Management (2014+), 23(9), p.14.
President George W. Bush provided the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with Tax-Free Health Savings Accounts and increased funding for medical research, which contributed to the development of the HPV cancer vaccine. He increased Americans’ access to prescription medications. In addition, he funded resources for veterans, such as provisions for traumatic brain injury and mental health. By adding preventative screening programs, President Bush enhanced the quality of medical care for Medicare recipients.
Discussion: Presidential Agendas NURS 6050
In 2010, President Barack Obama’s health care reform proposal became law. The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) reduced the cost of emergency rooms and chronic illnesses and made coverage more affordable for more people. As a result, individuals received preventative care, which reduced the need for expensive emergency care. If individuals were unable to purchase insurance, the federal government had the authority to tax them.
President Donald Trump eliminated the mandate of the Affordable Care Act. In 2017, insurance companies increased their premiums by 20%. Trump’s executive order in 2018 permitted cheaper and less-regulated plans. A 2019 executive order mandated that drug manufacturers disclose drug prices in advertising.
I believe that all previous presidents implemented health policy based on the country’s circumstances and the needs of its citizens. I would concentrate on enhancing what is already available and beneficial to the country.
President Bush enhanced the American health care system. The White House and The Bush Documents georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/infocus/bushrecord/factsheets/healthcare.html. Retrieved on May 30, 2021.
The name Kimberly Amadeo. How the insurance industry altered Obama’s healthcare reform plan. Obama’s Health Care Reform Plan, The Balance, Kimberly Amadeo, 30 October 2020, www.thebalance.com/obama-s-health-care-reform-plan-3305753.
“Donald Trump’s Health Care Policies,” by Kim Amadeo. The Balance, 23 February 2021, www.thebalance.com/how-would-trump-change-american-health-care-4111422.
Discussion: Presidential Agendas NURS 6050
Discussion Remark
I support your position that we should continue to work to improve existing legislation. Nonetheless, I believe that administrations that enact legislation must amend it during their terms in office. Iron triangles that develop legislation should be required to continue to refine existing policies (Milstead & Short, 2019, section on Overview of Models and Dimensions). I am aware that legislation is not always meticulous in its formulation and implementation at the national level.
However, in my experience, even effective plans and policies have unintended consequences when implemented. In our current system, there is no designated revision period for congress. A set period for revision would be analogous to a period in which a given medication is effective enough, requires an increased dose/additional tasks to streamline it, or a new drug is required to treat the problem/repeal the law. As a result, lobbyists, interest groups, and politicians would consider agenda setting and how legislation will affect the bill’s objectives based on the easiest but most effective stream (Kingdon, 2001, para. 20). Considering this, it is clear that I agree with your position that legislation should be improved by the administration that enacted it.
References
Milstead, J. A., and N. M. Short (2019). A guide to health policy and politics for nurses (6th ed.). The company Jones & Bartlett Learning.
** John W. Kingdon (Summer, 2001). A MODEL FOR SETTING THE AGENDA, WITH APPLICATIONS, FOR THE SECOND ANNUAL QUELLO TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY AND LAW SYMPOSIUM. 2001, 331 Detroit College of Law at Michigan State University Law Review The URL is https://advance-lexis com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/api/document?collection=analytical- materials&id=urn:contentItem:44N6-2010-00CV-V1SC-00000-00&context=1516831.
