The Affordable Care Act and Recent Reforms: Policy Implications for Equitable Mental Health Care Delivery
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Date
2020Type
- Journal Article
ETH Bibliography
yes
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Abstract
Controversy exists over how to ethically distribute health care resources and which factors should determine access to health care services. Although the US has traditionally used a market-based private insurance model that does not ensure universal coverage, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) in the United States aims to increase equitable access to health care by increasing the accessibility, affordability, and quality of health care services. This article evaluates the impact of the ACA on equitable mental health care delivery according to access factors that can hinder or facilitate the delivery of mental health services based on need. The ACA has successfully expanded coverage to millions of Americans and promoted coordination and access to mental health care; however, financial and non-financial access barriers to mental health care and access disparities remain. Reform efforts should not undervalue the gains that the ACA has made but should attempt to balance considerations of cost and increasing free-market mechanisms with decreasing remaining health care disparities. Show more
Publication status
publishedExternal links
Journal / series
Health Care AnalysisVolume
Pages / Article No.
Publisher
SpringerSubject
Mental health; Health care reform; Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Appropriate careOrganisational unit
02803 - Collegium Helveticum / Collegium Helveticum
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ETH Bibliography
yes
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