MENTAL HEALTH POLICY

Mental Health Policy Issue: Healthcare Access, Cost, And Quality



Abstract

In this study, I analyse the effectiveness of the health care policy reform within the mental health context. Specifically, I analyze the policy and its impact on healthcare access, cost, and quality. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was introduced on the 23rd of March, 2010. It was signed by the president of the United States of America, Barack Obama. This was done in response to the fact that there were certain drawbacks in the health care system of the United States of America, which became a barrier for individuals to get the treatments that they needed, in order to get rid of the diseases they had. In the end, it can be said that the introduction and the successful implementation of the Health Care Act of 2010 for the health care reform, has brought about many changes in the health care sector in the United States of America. The government has increased its expenditures in the sector, in order to make sure that more number of individuals can get the treatment that they need, and that also with a much better quality. Moreover, the costs for the individuals who need the treatment have also decreased, along with improving the quality of service being delivered.

Mental Health Policy Issue: Healthcare Access, Cost, And Quality

Introduction

Mental disorders account for five of the ten leading causes of morbidity in the world. The share of the global disease burden attributable to mental and behavior should increase from 12% in 1999 to 15% by 2020 (Bhugra & Gupta 2011). The increase is particularly strong in developing countries due to factors such as aging population and rapid urbanization. Mental health problems have clear cost social and economic. Patients and their families often experience reduced productivity whether at home or on the workplace. Lost wages, combined with the possibility of health spending disaster can seriously affect the financial position of patients and their families, creating or worsening poverty (Department of Health & Home Office 2000). For both patients and families, the social consequences of mental disorders occur in forms of unemployment and social disintegration, mainly stemming from through the stigma, discrimination and poorer quality of life (Health Select Committee 2000).

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Act on the protection of patients and health care affordable) is a law passed by the 111th United States Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama on the 23rd of March, 2010. It is the main component of the reform of the welfare system in the United States, with the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act signed the same day. Along with the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010, this law is the result of the program of health care reform with a majority of congressional Democrats and the Obama administration (Blendon, Benson, 2010). This paper would be focused on presenting the analysis of The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 as it ...