The Paradox in the
Affordable Care Act

Submitted By:
Vodney Wynn vewynn@aol.com October 12, 2014
PA582_CourseProject

Table of Contents

Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………3
The History of Healthcare Reform……………………………………………………………………………..…4
The Problem with the ACA……………………………………………………………………………………………6
The Current Policy………………………………………………………………………………………………………..8
Policy Alternatives………………………………………………………………………………………………………10
Evaluation Criteria………………………………………………………………………………………………………10
Policy Recommendation……………………………………………………………………………………………..12
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..13
References………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….14

Introduction
Recent health care reform
As early as 1900, the United States started formulating a healthcare reform movement to elevate healthcare of the American citizen. Primarily, elite class citizens initiated campaigns for national health reform, and this effort to implement universal health coverage was faced with critique and opposition (Hoffman, 2003). In 1912, President Roosevelt and his administration endorsed a social insurance policy as part of their health insurance platform. Roosevelt campaigned for compulsory health reform. The opposition supported voluntary health insurance.
In 1930, many Americans could not afford medical services because this was the time of a shrinking middle class and income inequality. Between 1933 and 1934, the United States recorded the unemployment rate as high as 25%. Such a depressed economy led to the high increase in medical costs and poverty was the primary factor leading to sickness.
The impact of the Great Depression on the overall economy forced citizens to form a pressure group influencing the government to take drastic action against the healthcare crisis. In response to the people’s demand, President Roosevelt appointed an Economic Security Committee to investigate strategy to overcome the unemployment problem, the lack of health and medical care insurance, and old-age issues. The outcome of the committee revealed that national health insurance was among the top issues in the United