A public good has been defined as one which should be enjoyed or accessed by every member of the public as a result of giving due regard to their welfare. All members of the public should be able to have access to it irrespective of their ability to pay. This submission addresses the healthcare issue from the prism of a public good. Consequently, the submission proceeds with the argument that the Affordable Care Act is a step in the right direction as it seeks to ensure increased access to healthcare. The submission contends that everyone should have access to good healthcare services irrespective of their ability to pay.
One of the key merits of the law is that it sets a benchmark which all insurers must meet. It does this by providing for the lower threshold of the so called “essential health benefits” which every insurer must be able to provide at minimum. This is a welcome development as it guarantees citizens access to a certain minimum standard of healthcare services from the insurers. Secondly, the law will increase access to drugs for the persons who initially could not afford them. While in many previous plans the customers had to incur extra costs on drugs, under the Affordable Care Act, they will be able to have access to drugs at no extra cost. Other merits of the Act include the fact that it provides health cover for children until they attain the age of twenty six and it bars insurance firms from ceasing to cover or increasing premiums for their clients who become sick. Most importantly, the Act will enable about 9 million senior citizens who were previously uninsured to have access to good healthcare. While it may have its challenges, this submission contends that the net effect of the Act is positive thus all should embrace it.
References
Collins, S. R., Robertson, R., Garber, T., & Doty, M. M. (2012). Gaps in Health Insurance: Why So Many Americans Experince Breaks in Coverage and How the Affordable Care Act Will Help. The Commonwealth Fund, 1-20.
Schoen, C., Doty, M. M., Robertson, R. H., & Collins, S. R. (2011). Affordable Care Act Reforms Could Reduce The Number Of Underinsured US Adults By 70 Percent. Health Affairs, 1762-1771.
