NUR 508 Grand Canyon Week 3 Discussion 1, Discussion: Social factors of the “underinsured”

Debate the various social factors associated with the situation of the “underinsured.” Respond to two other classmates’ answers with solid reasoning and support your opinions with appropriate reference citations.

NUR 508 Grand Canyon Week 3 Discussion 2

Review the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) report “Priority Populations”:

http://www.ahrq.gov/health-care-information/priority-populations/index.html

Select one of the “priority populations” and explain the disparities this population faces. What strategies have been implemented to combat these disparities on the local and national levels? Have they been successful? Include reference citations where appropriate.

NUR 508 Grand Canyon Week 4 Discussion 1

Debate the efficacies of public versus private-based quality initiatives. What roles do each play in the quality of U.S. health care? How would the elimination of one aspect affect the other? Respond to two other classmates and counter their answer, citing references as appropriate.

NUR 508 Grand Canyon Week 4 Discussion 2

After reading the Kaiser Family Foundation summary on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, state why or why not you believe the act should remain in law, or which pieces should be reversed. Then describe two pieces of the act that you were unaware was part of the act and how that may affect you as a citizen.

NUR 508 Grand Canyon Week 5 Discussion 1

What are the eligibility requirements and coverage of Medicaid for the categories of low-income adults, pregnant women, and the aging/blind/disabled in the state where you live? Do you consider the eligibility requirements reasonable or restrictive? Do you consider the coverage reasonable or liberal? What are the benefits and drawbacks to keeping these populations insured through Medicaid? Consider both direct and indirect factors.

NUR 508 Grand Canyon Week 5 Discussion 2

Review the CMS.gov 30-Day Mortality and Readmission Data website. Review at least two local hospitals and see how they compare to state and national benchmarks. How and why may a consumer or a health care professional use this data to make decision about their next hospitalization? Will reporting this data have an impact on hospitals bottom line in addition to financial penalties from CMS? Give at least two examples of how this data may be used and what type of impact if may have if at all on the hospitals.

MORE INFO 

Social factors of the “underinsured”

Introduction

What is the difference between being “underinsured” and being uninsured? The most obvious difference is that underinsured people have health insurance that covers some of their expenses. However, there are other factors at play: it’s not just a matter of paying for something or not. It’s also about how much you can afford to spend on your medical care, which will depend in part on your income level and whether you’re married or single; if you have children at home; whether you live in an urban or rural area; and even how much time pressure there is at work. Whether people qualify for premium subsidies through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchanges is also an important consideration since these financial assistance programs can help very low-income people afford coverage without needing extra money from elsewhere such as savings accounts or retirement funds

While premiums increased by only 2 percent, deductibles rose by 45 percent.

The problem with deductibles is that they can be a huge burden for people with chronic illnesses. For example, if you have asthma and need to use your inhaler every day, having a high deductible might mean that you don’t get coverage for the medication until after your insurance has paid out 100 percent of its claims. This means that no matter how much money you make or how much work you do—and even if there were no other factors involved—you could still end up paying thousands of dollars extra per year in out-of-pocket expenses (for example: getting medical care without insurance).

Another important factor in determining whether someone qualifies as “underinsured” is whether they have received government assistance such as Medicaid or CHIP; these programs help lower income families afford health care bills by providing them with tax credits which reduce their monthly payments by hundreds of dollars per month on average! However since these programs only cover part of what it costs to get covered through an employer plan (known as “affordable”), many uninsured individuals fall into this category because they cannot afford unaffordable premiums plus high deductibles.”

The average deductible for individuals is about $1,500 and for a family of four, it’s more than $6,000.

The average deductible for individuals is about $1,500 and for a family of four, it’s more than $6,000.

That means the average customer can expect to pay at least two-thirds of their annual premium when they file their insurance claim. That’s an increase from just five years ago when the average individual deductible was only about $750 per year.

The combination of high deductibles paired with rising premiums has led some experts to predict an explosion in health care costs in the next few years—and those predictions have become reality as more people seek out affordable coverage through Obamacare exchanges or private insurance companies that offer subsidized plans.

Being underinsured can put one at risk of having low access to health care, which can lead to poor health outcomes.

Being underinsured can put one at risk of having low access to health care, which can lead to poor health outcomes. Your body may not receive the treatment it needs, and this could lead to more expensive care down the road. It’s also possible that you won’t seek out needed medical services because you feel like your insurer will cover them anyway—and sometimes they do!

Underinsured people are less likely to seek treatment for chronic conditions like diabetes or cancer; they’re more likely than those with comprehensive coverage (or “full benefits” plans) who have gaps in their insurance coverage.

Income inequality plays a major role in how Americans access health care.

Income inequality is a problem in the United States. In fact, it’s one of our greatest challenges as a nation. And it has played an important role in how Americans access health care for years—not just recently with Obamacare but also before its implementation.

The current system has created systemic inequality between those who can afford health insurance and those who cannot; this means that some people are able to get preventative care or surgery while others can’t even afford basic medication or medical bills after they get sick (or injured). This leads to more people becoming uninsured which results in higher mortality rates due to lack of access to healthcare services like mammograms and colonoscopies among others services which could help eliminate preventable deaths through early detection/treatment options like antibiotics when needed instead of waiting until symptoms appear before treatment begins using traditional methods such as surgery alone without giving patients proper nutrition beforehand so their bodies can recover faster afterwards without having any side effects from surgery itself which might lead them back into danger zones again–and eventually costing more money than necessary since many times we’ll need follow-up visits after each procedure done during hospital stays due especially if there’s been complications from these procedures themselves causing additional costs incurred because most hospitals aren’t willing

High deductibles are one reason why there are so many “underinsured” people in the United States.

As you can see, there are many factors that contribute to the underinsured population in the United States. One of the most important is high deductibles. In fact, according to a study from Harvard University, the average deductible for individuals is about $1,500 and for a family of four it’s more than $6,000!

Conclusion

There are a few things you can do to help yourself and your family be underinsured. First, make sure that you have an emergency fund in case of an unexpected health care expense. Second, get a quote from a doctor before making any major decisions about your insurance coverage. Thirdly, don’t wait until the last minute when it comes time for an appointment with the doctor!