Health Care Utilization
Jean Izean
HCS/235
April 6, 2015
David Olsen

Health care reform in the United States is an intense subject matter that continues to resurface over time. It is looked upon as a priority which should be handled with urgency for the American people as it deals with accessing affordable and better quality care. Over the past decades presidential elections have served as platforms to stimulate health care reform however, no one can seem to reach an agreement as to what the outcome will be. This paper will discuss what recent health care reform approaches have expanded or inhibited access to health care and how changes to access may influence utilization. This paper will also discuss concepts of what universal health care may be and how current care reflects or contrasts. In addition, this paper will discuss what stakeholders are involved in the movement towards a system universal health care as well as what new roles may be emerging due to the health care expansion. The United States is known for having one of the steepest health care costs on earth. In 2009, an excess of 50 million people, who were eligible for health care coverage out of a whopping total of 312 million, did not have health coverage. It is believe that every four out ten in households with an income over $50,000 annual income, chose not to obtain health care insurance. They simply choose to pay as they go, in order to keep from spending on health coverage. President Obama, campaigned insistently for health care reform, and finally on March 23, 2010 he signed off on the law for Affordable Care Act. Even until this very day, it is still a profoundly debated issue whether or not the government should be entangled in health care. American citizens have their differences on who should be eligible for coverage and who should not. These are just a few of the concerns to the issue on health care reform.
Many are wondering in what ways have recent health care reform measures expanded or inhibited access to care. “The Affordable Care Act was passed by Congress and then signed into law by the President on March 23, 2010. On June 28, 2012 the Supreme Court rendered a final decision to uphold the health care law” (Health Care Government). The law establishes health insurance reforms for over a period of four years and beyond. Several developments have been made in order to enhance the patient outcomes while stimulating productivity and culpability. Measures have been set in place to safeguard the patients’ safety, encourage shared responsibility, and to improve a higher value in health care. A health care reform website has also been created where individuals are able to access and compare different health insurance options in order to select the plan that best fits their personal needs. With these health care reform procedures, participants will visibly see that there may be possibilities to boost the request for health care which will also require an increase in demand for systems and technology.

Questions have risen as to how changes to access may influence utilization? “Individuals who cannot purchase health care services, either out-of-pocket, through private or social health insurance (Medicare), through public programs such as Medicaid may not receive needed services in the United States” (Health Care in America). This aspect other than the capability to pay also influences a personal ability to access health care services. Some of the elements that health care utilization identifies are predisposing, enabling, and need determinants of care. Pre-disposing components involves seeking care, as whether a person’s culture agrees with the ill role, and what types of health care are preferred for specific ill symptoms. Enabling elements comprise of health insurance coverage, it brings forth the questions can you afford the co-payments, and are the services located where they can be reached in a timely manner. The need for