Consumer and Provider costs

Recent changes in healthcare has been both positive and negative for healthcare providers and consumers. The most recent National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data show that the uninsured rate in early 2017 remained at its lowest level in history: about 9 percent, compared to 16 percent when the ACA was enacted in 2010 (Aron-Dine, 2017). According to findings by Mr. Aron-Dine, the rate of healthcare was more affordable for low, moderate, and middle-income consumers thanks to the Affordable Care Act. The rate of uninsured consumers fell by 35 percent between the years of 2010-2015, this includes all racial, urban, rural, and ethnic demographics.

The creation of the Affordable Care Act has allowed people who could not afford healthcare the opportunity for coverage, as well as those with pre-existing conditions who may have been able to afford healthcare but were disqualified because of it. Affordable healthcare offers a choice of long-term (usually a year) and short-term (usually six months) coverage for young and healthy middle-income consumers (Jost, 2018).

The pros of the Affordable Care Act are that more people have access to healthcare and can seek preventive care, which cuts down on the burden of healthcare organisations covering costs associated with providing services to insured patients. This relieves emergency rooms from being the place of choice for many who used to use this option when they didn’t have health coverage.

Now for the negatives. The Affordable Care Act is not without faults. As with any proposed change, there are some negative side effects of the intended goal of coverage for all. Those who do not choose to sign u for healthcare coverage are penalized when they file their taxes. This penalty is used to help reduce the premiums that people who do choose coverage are expected to pay. This penalty also helps insurers offer more stable prices for coverage as well (Jost, 2018).


If the Affordable Care Act were to be repealed by the current administration, the number of insured Americans would drop by 19.7 million (Rand, 2019).



Aron-Dine, A. (2017, September 12). Health Care: Issues Impacting Cost and Coverage. Retrieved from Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: Health Care: Issues Impacting Cost and Coverage

Jost, T. S. (2018, April 10). How Will State and Federal Actions Affect Individual Health Insurance Coverage for Middle-Income Americans? Retrieved from The Commonwealth Fund: Impact of actions on health coverage for middle-income Americans

Rand, H. (2019). The Future of U.S. Health Care: Replace or Revise the Affordable Care Act? Retrieved from Rand Health Care: The Future of U.S. Health Care