Children benefiting from health reform
Last week, the U.S. celebrated one year since the passage of health care reform, or the Affordable Care Act. The ACA is both good and historic legislation for children. The ACA improves access to medical care, provides appropriate and prevention-based benefits and increases the number of children covered by a health program.
The ACA already has had a positive impact. Denial of coverage because of pre-existing conditions is no longer a problem. Also, children can now stay on parent policies until the age of 26.
Until the ACA, our national health system has focused on costly interventions after a person is “sick.” We have allowed a disorganized system of universal care that is inappropriately practiced in the emergency room. The ACA sets prevention and health management as the new foundation of the U.S. health system. It is a long-term investment to contain the overall health cost that is bankrupting our country. It also is an incubator for innovation in the lagging performance of the U.S. health system when compared to other countries.
It is time for everyone to pitch in to make the ACA work. We all have a stake in seeing the ACA succeed.