The Affordable Care Act & Women's Health: Another Opinion
On Tuesday, WebMD attended a roundtable discussion at the White House regarding the Affordable Care Act’s impact on women’s health. Today, we sought a response from Kathryn Nix, a healthcare analyst for the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Here’s what she had to say
The ACA and Healthcare Costs
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Nancy-Ann DeParle said that the biggest criticism of the ACA that contains the most misinformation is that “it does nothing to control costs.” As an example, DeParle points to Medicare spending per beneficiary now being the lowest it has ever been.
“The ACA does not control costs,” Nix says. “And it is important to ask whether changes in Medicare costs are due to the ACA, which has not yet taken full effect.”
Even if the ACA does result in lower healthcare costs, Nix says, savings to consumers will be offset by higher insurance costs.
“The requirement for all plans to cover essential health benefits is a cost driver,” she says. “As more benefits are included, plans will cost more.”
My Word: Health reform has already helped many with more to come
Friday marks the second anniversary of the passage of health reform. Two years into the rollout of the law, we must ask: How many people have been helped? What does it mean for Medicare?
Despite a continued call for repeal by Republicans, Americans of all ages have gained significantly.
From free preventive care and lower prescription costs for seniors to expanded coverage for young adults, health reform is only beginning to show the fruits of the many consumer protections included in the law.
With continued implementation, the nightmare of being denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition will end for all Americans. Consumers will finally be in control of their health care, not the private insurance companies whose primary motivation is a robust bottom line.
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