The Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act - 760 Words

History was made as the President of the United States signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law on March 23, 2010. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) delivers access to quality, affordable health care to all Americans. The breakthrough legislation, passed in March of 2010, represents the most significant government expansion and regulatory overhaul of the country’s healthcare system since the passage of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965 (Dix, 2013). The PPACA promises to reduce health disparities, improve access to preventative services, improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare spending. As stated by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the PPACA will provide coverage to more than 94 percent of†¦show more content†¦This literature review will describe and discuss the challenges of accessing health care services and how primary care physicians are deeply impacted by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Access to Q uality and Affordable Health Care in America Presently, access to health care services in the United States is labeled substandard. As explained by the Department of Health and Human Services, access to comprehensive, quality health care services is important for the achievement of health equity and for increasing quality of a healthy life for all. In 2008, the Commonwealth Fund released â€Å"Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the U.S. Health Care†. In this report, they note, minority Americans are more likely to have problems accessing high-quality health care than whites. Considering the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that minorities comprise 36.3 percent of the nation’s population, having this much of the populace unhealthy has major implications. Consequentially, minorities are less likely to experience the health outcomes that lead to a better quality of life. Access to health services is key for prevention of disease and disability, detection and treatment of health disorders, improving the quality of life, and overall physical, social and mental health status. With the PPACA allowing unprecedented access to primary care