Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2010 Term Paper

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2010 - Term Paper Example The last fifty years saw seen the enactment of serious health reforms including Medicare and Medicaid. The two have improved access to healthcare for the entire country’s citizens. The success of these reform policies serves as a benchmark for all future health reforms. However, as mentioned earlier not all reform policies have succeeded to this date despite the tireless self-dedication of many people. The (NHI) National Health Insurance is one of these policies. Discussions by historians help to point out why some policies have proven to be successful whereas others have not (Harry, 2010). The policy formulation stage is the first stage in the public policy making process. Analysis of problems and solutions occurs during this stage in the agenda setting process (Mark, 2012). Also, discussed are the reasons that could have led to the dire need for a reform to be implemented (Copeland, 2011). In this case, successful Medicare and Medicaid reforms; the need arose from the increa sed suffering of many citizens who had limited success to healthcare. Access to proper medical care is extremely expensive and not most low income earners can afford it. The responsibility of provision of adequate healthcare to the citizens lies with the government. One of the defining aspects of a successful government is its ability to cater for its people especially in the health department. This is because a healthy population directly translates into a healthy workforce. The economic success of the entire nation depends on its citizens (Harry, 2010). There also existed an international outcry from the international community. Organizations like (WHO) World Health Organization and the (UN) United Nations have a list of expectations for all its member states. Provision of adequate healthcare is one of these requirements. USA, just like all other countries had to ensure their policies were in line with these expectations (Lambert, 2010). The need for NHI arose from the countryâ₠¬â„¢s need to equip all its citizens with health insurance. This meant that even the poor could afford such a service. The American constitution considers all men equal and from this perspective all citizens are rightful owners of the country’s resources. NHI is more complex than the other two successful reform policies making it hard to implement. Trials for its implementation have failed time and again because of these problems. Ideological differences are one of the key milestones yet to be conquered (House, 2008). Karl Marx, a prominent sociologist, explained such behaviors in his conflict theory. He advanced in it that conflict when people of the ruled or subordinate class seek to improve their economic status and move up to the ruling class (Foster, 2010). Naturally those in the ruling class would view this as a threat and conflict would ensue. In the case of the NHI, the two groups would have opposed ideologies. The affluent would advocate for the national resources to be directed to other ventures that would benefit them. On the other hand, the under privileged would demand for the resources to be directed towards ventures that would ease their economic hardships (Lambert, 2010). Bureaucracy comes with increased levels of development within a country. The strength of interest groups has to be solicited (Vivar, 2011). These groups prove most influential especially in the enactment phase of the reform policy. They can