Contempt Issues in Aging

Introduction

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 also referred to as Obama care changed the health care system in the U.S. The Act availed insurance services for citizens; its sole purpose was to lower the government expenditure on health care. This research paper is going to focus on the impacts of ACA on the health care system. The paper will also focus on how baby boomers are going to be affected, the role of technology in ACA, and which technologies are needed to keep up with the aging boomers.

Besides offering insurance, ACA also seeks to administer prevention care to lower health care costs as treating disease at an early stage is cheaper than the late stage. The Act allowed children to access health care services through their parent’s insurances until the age of twenty-six. Re-insurance cover for health benefit was offered to workers who were forced into early retirement; the Act focuses on keeping the older healthy. ACA also ensured insurance companies do not drop coverage for someone who was so sick. That was prohibited from denying coverage to a child who has a pre-existing condition. ACA also ensured the insurance companies spent a large portion of the premiums on medical services and no other expenditures (Amadeo, 2018). Doctors and nurses were incorporated more into the system to ensure quality services.

The reforms in the health care system have led to an increased turnover of patients in health facilities due to quality services at reduced cost-effective fees. The reforms have seen patients’ safety, quality care for all Americans. The reforms also emphasize both primary and preventative care through health information technology. The reforms have seen young people also covered, women have received more benefits and access to a wide range of health benefits through insurance covers. On the other hand, the reforms are aimed at making insurance companies accountable to ensure reliable services.

Baby boomers are those aged people who were born before 1964 and after 1945. After the retirement years, the boomers have an increased number of medical needs, leading to an increased number of healthcare resources. This will challenge the U.S.A health care system, which will further call for prevention and management of certain health conditions. The high rates of the boomer’s obesity, cancer, and diabetes leave the health care system straining on their medication and management as well (Mears, 2015). This shows that boomer is also not forgotten in matters involving their health.

Technology continues to grow to bring a direct felt impact in people’s lives; the healthcare sector is not immune to technological innovations as well. In the healthcare sector, technology is playing a role in almost all sections, from diagnosis, treatment, prevention and even to records storage. Technology has improved efficiency in costs leading to increased savings; it has improved access to medical services for those in rural areas. It has also lead to quality and safe services with high standards of privacy. On the other hand, technology has led to reduced paperwork and the development of new treatments and drugs. Technology has really played role in seeing the medical sector move towards quality and affordable services.

The technological tools used in healthcare to achieve ACA goals are digitalized Electronic Health Record (EHR), m-Health, cloud computing and Telemedicine among others. EHR has played a great role in achieving patients’ privacy, safety, cost-effective and affordable quality services. Mobile health is also enabling patients to receive medical services at the comfort of their homes without congesting facilities. Health providers, physicians, and patients can exchange orders, documentation, and information through this wireless technological tool.

Technologies that will see baby boomers’ health needs and conditions addressed include Consumer Health Information Technologies (CHIT) and Personal Health Information Management (PHIM). CHIT plays a role in maintaining health and managing diseases that will be very helpful to the baby boomer in addressing their health needs. PHIM will manage the boomers’ personal information and help them find and use consumer health information. This calls for better tools to help boomers get support on how to manage their health and information as well. Research has determined the presence of Oedema socks that will detect and swollen feet and notify wearers on a health problem will be essential for the aging baby boomers (Mears, 2015). The innovation of robot nurses with sufficient artificial intelligence to issue medication and send the boomers information to health care providers will see the boomers age successfully.

In conclusion, technology has really played a role in ensuring quality, safe and affordable cost-effective services in the healthcare system. The ACA also has worked toward seeing the reforms are achieved in the health care system not forgetting to incorporate the aging boomers in the Obama care.