Enrollments for Obamacare Increase after Trump’s Election
- Last week, HHS reported an increase in the number of those enrolling for the coverage of the Affordable Care Act’s federal exchange after Donald Trump was elected. Trump repeatedly said it was among his priorities to repeal the law upon assuming office. On the 9th of November, at least 100,000 enrollment were recorded. Since the 1st of November when the enrollment so began, that is the highest figure recorded. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, who is the House Speaker, has been among the vocal Republicans who want to repeal the law. If an appropriations move is evoked, there are some parts of the law that could be overturned by the new regime. Given that the enrollment ends on the 31st of January, one would wonder what Trump’s government will do to cover the 20 million or so people in their health.
- A near loss of federal funding has been avoided by the Detroit Medical Center following the passing of an impromptu inspection of the sterilization of its surgical instruments. Following the Nov. 1 and Nov. 2 inspections by the CMS, the hospital was notified that there were no defects identified. If not, at least $795 million could have been lost by the system had the defects not been fixed but he 14th of December. In fact, the DMC reported that the CMS was rather happy with the results. Although no harm was recorded, it was accepted by the center that experienced delays in the surgeries.
- New guidelines for the prescription of antibiotics for outpatient scenarios by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The stress is placed on practice and policy, reporting and tracking, expertise and education. The procedure is to report anything back to clinicians after the implementation of a policy or practice by the outpatient clinicians. The CDC has also urged caregivers to dish out information on the appropriate and safe use of antibiotics.
With Trump in Power, Major Changes in Healthcare are Bound to Happen
All across the United States, there are bound to be reviews and changes in the healthcare system goes the changes in the leaders and decisions coming from Washington.
Some aspects are already clear as day. The move to adopt health insurance on a universal scale has come to an end. There is no more moving towards value-based care and leaving the fee-for-service structure.
Over the last few decades, the conservative Republicans have always had a different view on health as seen from the 7-point document found on the website for Donald Trump for President. The document has no plans for attaining health insurance on a universal scale. A payment reform or delivery system was not addressed.
One cannot make any conclusions as far as the changes in the healthcare system go until the President-elect makes his appointments.
One issue that cannot go away from the minds of the leaders in healthcare is if Trump will lead exactly as he campaigned. The difference will determine to a large extent just how the healthcare system will run.
His campaign began with a question on president Barrack Obama’s birthplace. He was proud with his radical ideas on the disabled, the Mexicans, the Muslims and the immigrants. He was also demeaning towards women even during his debates with his opponents.
His campaign trail is clearly one of the most controversial in terms of Ataga is on public health and the peace of the people. He brought out issues plaguing the American society such as hatred, xenophobia, misogyny, and racism all of which are sensitive to the American society.
Having won the seat of the presidency riding on the suffering and pain of the society, there are chances that the problems of society will only get worse under his leadership. It is not a thing to debate much about given that it is based on his own words.
One would only wonder if he will change or, if possible, he can fix the problems he let out of the closet. The only hope is the words he spoke of in this speech when accepting his victory.
However, one can only be sure that the healthcare sector will see big changes coming. The Affordable Care Act has Trump and the Republicans in the Congress to deal with when the time comes.
The question that remains to be answered is how the Trump administration will deal with at least 20 million Americans all of whom benefited from the legislation in question. Trump has only vowed to repeal the law and and offered no alternative of any kind. While he offered other plans such as health savings accounts, the sell of instance across states and tax credits, they are not enough to replace what the Affordable Care Act did. The only expected scenario is lower health insurance coverage.
Those under the leadership of Paul Ryan are also not happy with the way Medicare is structured at the moment. Always underfunded since the Balanced Budget Act of 2011 came into being, it remains a mystery whether Trump will keep Medicare the way it is, or change to the private plans wished for by the Congress.
Congress also focuses on changing Medicaid to state block grants with little promise to cover all. That was one of the endorsements by Trump and and so were Republican governors who had always be in support of expanding Medicaid.
The reforms on the delivery system are not looking so rosy given that there is need to reform the payments so that affordable care can be availed to the people.
It all depends on who will be appointed into office by Trump and if they will support the ditching of fee-for-service structure in favor of the value-based reimbursement format of healthcare. Whoever Trump picks on and their beliefs are what will determine the next step in the delivery of healthcare. Given that there are people on his list with differing views, it is a wait-and-see scenario.
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