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ENGL 231
Felipe Santos Llanos
Prof. Cynthia Garcia

Healthcare system
and reforms in the
United States

General Facts

Obamacare

The PPACA aims to increase the rate of health insurance

coverage for Americans and reduce overall health care costs.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2007, 46.3 million

people in the U.S. were uninsured.

One of the fundamental goals of health reform is to provide

marginalized and vulnerable populations with greater access to
health care, such as primary care.

Primary Care

The World Health Organization defines primary care as

"essential health care based on practical, scientifically sound
and socially acceptable methods to all individuals and families
in the community through their full participation and at a cost
that community and country can afford to maintain at every
stage of their development in the spirit of self-reliance and selfdetermination. It forms an integral part both of the national
health system, which is the central function and main focus,
and of the overall social and economic development of the
community."

Pro

Right to healthcare.

U.S. Constitution.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Americans have poor health, compared to other developed

countries.

Cons

The use of tax revenues to provide health care to all Americans

is equivalent to socialism and diminish the quality and
availability of health services for people who work hard to get
medical coverage.

It is not the government's responsibility to guarantee health

coverage.

Objectives

Poverty

Minorities

Children

Elderly

Homeless

HIV

Mental Illness

Expected Outcomes

Provide marginalized and vulnerable populations with greater

access to health care, such as primary care.

Improve access to services

Reduce the use of emergency room and outpatient hospital

services.

Increase the use of outpatient non-institutional care.

Reduce the use of hospital care.

Conclusion

The health system is directed towards one that will remain

private, which will be emphasized in primary care, health
promotion and disease prevention.

References

Blumenthal, D., Mort, E., Edwards, J. The Efficacy of Primary Care

for Vulnerable Population Groups. HSR: Health Services
Research 30:1 (April 1995, Part II)

Obamacare. Obamacare Summary: A Summary of Obamas

Health Care Reform. 2013
http://obamacarefacts.com/obamahealthcare-summary.php

U.S. Census Bureau (2007) Health Insurance, Nutrition and Food

Safety. http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Health.shtml

World Health Organization (2014) Primary Healthcare.

http://www.who.int/topics/primary_health_care/en/

Adams, M. (Ed.). (2007, June 19). Why Michael Moore's SiCKO is

a health care documentary every American must see. Retrieved
December 11, 2014, from http://www.naturalnews.com/