Introduction
America’s health care system is broken because of the large number of uncovered health insurance. New plans and schemes are being experimented with to bring a strong health care system to America. This paper presents six points of the RWJF blueprint for the change in the health care system and moving toward comprehensive health care reform. The third part of this paper states how these two systems are in line with each other.
Several factors reflect in the health system of America, such as millions of uninsured people, variations in the quality and performance, decline in health access, and racial disparities in health care. To tackle these health problems in America, six points were proposed for health change. The six points in the blueprint for change are “cover the uninsured, improve the quality, value, and equality of health care, bring down spending, prevent disease and promote healthier lifestyles, strengthen public health’s capacity to protect our health and address the social determinants of health.” (Mourey, 2009). A report was presented by Risa Lavizzo-Mourey to the President in which she emphasized the importance of follow-up of these six points of the blueprint of change in the health system. (Mourey, 2009). She said, “Not knowing is no longer an excuse for inaction” to address “the full continuum of interconnected factors” linked to health and health care.” (Archive for March 2009, 2009, Lifting the veil, para.5).
The moving towards comprehensive health care reform is designed in a view that each state should take the lead to develop proposals to reform the health care system increasing the coverage of health insurance. “Three states, Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont, have enacted and are implementing reform plans that seek to achieve near-universal coverage of state residents.” (States moving toward comprehensive healthcare reform, 2009, para.1).
Comprehensive health care reform is designed state-wise focusing on increasing the universal coverage of health insurance, quality in the care system, and access to quality health care with minimum cost. “To achieve comprehensive health care reform, AHIP has proposed a plan that provides universal coverage, cost containment, and quality improvement.” (Ignagni, 2009, p.2). Massachusetts is a state where the implementation of comprehensive health care reform occurred very quickly. “Massachusetts is being watched closely for lessons that might guide national efforts to reduce the number of uninsured and underinsured nationally.” (Massachusetts health reform: a giant step toward universal coverage, 2008, para.1).
Massachusetts is a state which implemented health care reform law requiring that all adults have health insurance by December 31, 2007. Then the next step was to monitor the health care costs that the government enacted legislation in April 2008. This system of health care includes “preventive and primary care, emergency services, hospitalization benefits, ambulatory patient services, mental health services, and prescription drug coverage.” (States moving toward comprehensive healthcare reform, 2009, p.9). When we compare the comprehensive health care system with the six points of the RWJF blueprint for change, we realize that there is a significant cohesion between these two factors. The comprehensive health care system of Massachusetts includes all the points of the RWJF blueprint for change. It tries to cover all residents under health insurance, tries to improve the quality of the care, tries to bring down the cost of treatment, tries to strengthen public health, and promotes healthier lifestyles. When the comprehensive system of health reform in Massachusetts is referred to the six points of the RWJF blueprint for change, it has included all the points and it brings effective health care to the residents in Massachusetts.
Conclusion
This paper presents two health care plans introduced in America to rescue the broken health care system. The two plans are six points of the RWJF blueprint for the change and moving toward comprehensive health care reform. The writer evaluates whether the moving toward comprehensive health care reform in Massachusetts is at par with the six points of the RWJF blueprint for the change.
Reference List
Archive for March, 2009: Lifting the veil. (2009). Communities of Health. Web.
Ignagni, K. (2009). Testimony on comprehensive health care reform: AHIP’s comprehensive proposals for health care reform. AHIP. Web.
Massachusetts health reform: a giant step toward universal coverage. (2008). The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation: Kaisernetwork.org. Web.
Mourey, R L. (2009). Robert Wood Johnson foundation 2008 annual report: RWJF blue print for change. Web.
States moving toward comprehensive healthcare reform. (2009). The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation: The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured. Web.
States moving toward comprehensive healthcare reform: Massachusetts. (2009). The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation: The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured. Web.