Health Policy and The Federal Government Essay Example

The federal health policy is a humanitarian need that has fixated to an economic-social-class status. Health is defined by the World Health Organization as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity. Health crises exist worldwide, but this article will be presented nationally. The United States of America has a growing health care crisis that is affecting Americans every day. COVID-19 has brought a lot of light to the darkness in this industry. Our health care system legally feeds into the capitalistic produced gaps and inequities such as minority communities, location, cost of health insurance, prevention, quality, and shortage. As the Hispanic Federation represents and advocates for Latinos, it discusses the health disadvantages they face. This industry changes in the wrong direction with the evolution of new and current policies. The health care system is broken by the damage crept by inequities, impact on immigrants, and new policies and proposals. 

To commence, the damage crept by inequities sweeps through the cracks in our health care system. Our health care system is controlled by the government and gains budget control through a monopolistic market. The United States spending grew 4.6 percent in 2019, which amounts to $3.8 trillion. It is a part of the nation’s Gross Domestic Products, and health care accounted for 17.7 percent. Although the government incorporates into funding, the development of private investors in the healthcare field has also grown. Private equity firms account for about 25% of the hospitals in the United States and will continue to grow. According to a research article by the University of California, Berkeley, private investors’ focus on short-term revenue generation and consolidation erodes competition and causes instability in health care markets. Investing in health care is geared toward the success and profit of those higher on the hierarchy. The disadvantages are placed upon staff shortage, higher cost of care, a decline in inpatient care, and more. Private investors contribute to the lack of access to healthcare in communities by closing hospitals or medical offices. Another contribution is the shortage of staff which also contributes to a decline in quality care. Private equity in healthcare was associated with the frontline shortage of nurses to lower labor costs. There was a study that found an approximately 10% increase in 90-day mortality Medicare patients in their nursing homes. Instead of creating a profitable gain off the health of Americans by greedy, monopolistic investors, removing racial-health disparities will eliminate excess costs. These disparities account for $35 billion in expenditures. Racial disparities could be removed by providing health insurance to all, high-quality care, diversity in the workforce, monitoring data, and access.

Furthermore, undocumented immigrants are at the bottom of the pyramid and take most of the harm. Undocumented immigrants have limited access to options for coverage. Approximately 10 million undocumented immigrants in the United States and 64% of them are Hispanic. Through their way of travel up to finding residence immigrants, encounter all types of health risks and structural barriers resulting in a lack of care. Donald Trump’s presidency permitted society to believe and partake in anti-immigrant rhetoric. Factors on the outside such as harassment in the workplace or schools, language barriers, lack of access to healthcare, mental health stigma, poverty, family separation, and more. Mental health is a huge stigma in the immigrant community. Whether it would be fear of deportation, isolation, loss of identity, stress, or mistrust. Undocumented immigrants are vulnerable to higher out-of-pocket medical costs because of the lack of federal insurance plans. According to GoodRx Health, immigrants do not need to disclose their status to receive care, but the burden of the bill is on them. EMTALA; Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act is a federal law that entails anyone entering the ED to be stabilized and treated. When this law is violated penalties exist such as termination of the hospital or physician’s Medicare provider agreement. This law has existed since 1986, and although it exists, immigrants still fear receiving treatment. The downside of this law was with no funding, so the financial burden is left in debt, charity, and the taxes citizens pay. Community health centers exist, but most are limited to preventive and primary care. Undocumented immigrants face many fears in the health care system and could be addressed by removing barriers. 

Moreover, new policies and proposals to tackle the ongoing healthcare discrepancy. Lawmakers debated and passed a large range of health care legislation like coverage expansion, affordability, telehealth, mental health care access, and cost of prescription drugs. In terms of coverage, states are anticipating future changes by the Biden administration and Congress. One temporary policy change that could become permanent is the Marketplace Premium Tax Credit Enhancements. Many states have participated in providing state-based premium and/or cost-sharing subsidies in Marketplace plans.