Influence on Health Care In a paper of between 1.5 and 2 pages, please address the following: From your readings, discuss which law you believe has had the most influence on health care in the past 10...

Influence on Health Care

Influence on Health Care



2/20/2013

Student Name
2
Influence on Health Care
The top most issue today in this world is an ongoing debate about the healthcare policies and
their limitations. Health system is anticipated with worries and has reached significant mass
and it has become the worldwide agenda for discussion. The questions to be answered by
every government before taking the ownership includes (i) making health reforms as top
most legislative priority, (ii) try to be leaders not just the partisans and (iii) developing the
broad policy consensus by leaving the policy details there only. Despite the several attempts
by the government various national health reforms were failed over past century and are
unable to achieve the success for set objective and goals. Many failures were repeated in
future by the leaders and we must focus upon the crucial lessons learned from the past
failures in order to achieve success in coming future.
I personally believe that the law had most influence on health in the past 10 years is HIPAA-
the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. It helps in protecting the personal
health of an individual along with individual’s privacy. It is very common among the
doctor’s staff- a HIPAA privacy notice- by which doctors advice on protections for one’s
personal health information. For many individuals health benefit is a very significant part of
their jobs. When HIPAA was launched, many individuals were afraid as they will lose the
health coverage for them along with their family. However, HIPAA’s protection has made it
easier for any employee to switch employer without any concern of losing the medical
benefits.
Umbrella of protection under HIPAA
 It provides additional opportunity to enrol for a group health plan in case any
3

individual lose other experience or coverage under certain life events.
 It confines the facility of a new employer plan to prohibit the coverage for any pre
existing conditions.
 It guarantees that few individuals can renew and also will have access to the
individual health insurance policy.
 It prohibits discrimination against employees and their family members depending
upon the health factors which includes the previous claims, the prior medical
conditions and any other genetic information.
Additional Coverage under HIPAA : Flexibility under State Laws for HIPAA
State law may accompany HIPAA by aiding more protections that the Federal Law.
However, it can be only applicable if the plan provides the benefits through an insurance
plan of a company. Listed are few areas where state laws can aid HIPAA’s pre existing
conditions and can allow special enrolment provisions.
 The state law can reduce the number of months of a plan for the look back option in
order to determine the pre existing conditions. In that case the look back period will
begin from the day, the plan is enrolled.
 The state law can also reduce the number of months a new employer...