Comparative Analysis Assignment Paper

Improving public health care is one of the most significant goals of the federal government. For this reason, the national government has introduced various health policies to improve the quality of health care provided to the public. This paper focuses on changes that occurred in the US healthcare system following the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and current issues and sustainability. Comparative Analysis Assignment Paper

Step 1: Step 2: Step 3: The Affordable Care Act

Comparison of the U.S. healthcare Outcomes before and after the Enactment of the Affordable Care Act

The ACA was enacted in 2010, primarily to extend health insurance coverage in the United States to reach more Americans, including those with low-income status and minorities. Before the enactment of the ACA, the number of Americans insured was relatively low. Consequently, most citizens especially those with low income and minorities were limited from accessing healthcare services, leading to adverse healthcare outcomes in these populations. On the contrary, the enactment of the Affordable Care Act enhances the US healthcare system in general. The Affordable Care Act expanded health insurance coverage in the United States. According to Kominski et al. (2017), the implementation of ACA expanded health insurance coverage to about 20 million US adults who were previously uninsured. Thus, the ACA reduced the number of Americans without health insurance coverage significantly. Blumenthal et al. (2020) reported that the ACA lowered the number of uninsured Americans to 28.6 million in 2016. Following the implementation of the ACA, most Americans can access quality healthcare services, leading to positive health outcomes. Comparative Analysis Assignment Paper

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Population Health

Various measures of United States population health are comparable to other developed nations such as Europe nations, Canada, Australia, and the UK. These measures include chronic disease outcomes, hospital-related care or patient safety outcomes, life expectancy, and mortality rate. Comparative Analysis Assignment Paper

Chronic Disease Outcomes

The US public health and that of other developed countries can be compared in terms of chronic disease outcomes. The United States has a relatively high rate of chronic diseases compared to other developed nations. According to Raghupathi and Raghupathi (2018), approximately 45%, representing 133 million of the total US population have been diagnosed with at least one chronic illness and this number is still growing. The most common chronic illnesses among Americans include cancer, hypertension, diabetes, stroke, heart disease, respiratory diseases, obesity, arthritis, and oral diseases. These chronic illnesses lead to hospitalization, high healthcare spending, reduced health-related quality of life, a high rate of long-term disability, and increased death rates (Raghupathi & Raghupathi, 2018). Consequently, terminal illnesses have become the primary cause of disability and death in the United States. On the contrary, the rate of chronic illnesses in other developed countries is relatively low compared to the United States. According to Brennan et al. (2017), the rate of chronic illnesses is relatively low among adults in all Europe nations. However, the United States is similar to other developed nations in terms of the lead cause of death. In most developed countries particularly the US and Europe, chronic illnesses are the primary cause of death. According to Raghupathi and Raghupathi (2018), chronic illnesses, including cancer, hypertension, diabetes, stroke, heart disease, respiratory diseases, and obesity are primary causes of death in the United States. Additionally, chronic illnesses, including chronic respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and mental illness cause approximately 85% of total deaths in Europe nations (Brennan et al., 2017). Comparative Analysis Assignment Paper

Hospital-Related Care

The US public health can be compared to other developed nations in terms of hospital-related care. Hospital admissions related to various chronic diseases, including circulatory conditions, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), and diabetes have been rising dramatically in the United States compared to other developed countries. This trend is attributed to a lack of health promotion and disease prevention programs in the United States. Particularly, hospital admissions related to congestive heart failure and diabetes-related complications are disproportionately high in the US than in other developed countries. The United States can reduce chronic disease-related admissions by investing in primary care. Additionally, the rate of cesarean section (CS) has been relatively high in the US than in other developed countries although it has reduced slightly recently. The US reported approximately 317 CS per 1,000 live births among inpatient admissions in 2019 (Kurani & Wager, 2021). This rate was slightly higher than other developed countries, which reported 256 CS with inpatient admissions this year. Comparative Analysis Assignment Paper

Life Expectancy

Life expectancy should also be considered when comparing US public health to that of other developed nations. According to Kurani and Wager (2021), the US life expectancy at birth was similar to other developed countries a few decades ago. In 1980 life expectancy in the US and other countries was 74.5 and 73.7 years, respectively (Kurani & Wager, 2021). However, these countries have experienced a substantially high gap in recent years with life expectancy being higher in other industrialized countries compared to the US. This trend was associated with a slower growth rate in life expectancy in the US compared to its “peers.”  However, recently, the United States and other developed countries experienced a decline in their life expectancy. This trend is associated with various contributing factors, especially the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the US life expectancy dropped to 77.3 years, while the life expectancy of other comparable countries dropped to 82.1 years on average (Kurani & Wager, 2021).

Mortality Rate

The mortality rate of the US can also be compared to that of other developed countries. The all-cause mortality rate for any country is measured by the number of deaths per 100,000 people (Kurani & Wager, 2021). In the past decades, the US had a relatively lower mortality rate than other comparable countries. However, other countries’ mortality started to decline more than the US between 1980 and 2017(Kurani & Wager, 2021). During this period, the US and comparable countries’ overall mortality rates had dropped by 29% and 43%, respectively. Thus, the mortality rate in the US is higher than its peers (Kurani & Wager, 2021). This trend is associated with a high rate of chronic illnesses in the US. Comparative Analysis Assignment Paper

The Impact of COVID-19 on US Citizens Overall Life Expectancy based on their Race

COVID-19 has led to a dramatic increase in overall mortality rates in the United States. However, disproportionately high death cases have been reported among minorities, including Blacks and Latinos (Andrasfay & Goldman, 2021). Consequently, life expectancy among minorities has dropped significantly compared to whites during COVID-19. According to Andrasfay and Goldman (2021), the life expectancy of the US general population dropped by 1.13 y in 2020. Life expectancy among Black and Latino populations was 3 to 4 times higher compared to their counterparts Whites. Consequently, the pandemic reversed the progress made in the last 10 years to close the life expectancy gap between Blacks and Whites. Further decline in life expectancy is likely to persist during post-pandemic due to adverse effects of COVID-19 on various aspects of people’s lives, including long-term health, economic, and social life. Comparative Analysis Assignment Paper

Economics

            The US economics of healthcare can be compared to other developed nations. First, the US differs from other developed countries in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) as it relates to healthcare spending. When measured in terms of GDP, the US health spending per person was approximately $11,945 (Wager et al., 2022). This amount was higher than that of other high-income nations by about $4,000 (Wager et al., 2022). Additionally, comparable nations spend approximately $5,736) on health per person, which is roughly half the amount spent by the U.S. Secondly, the US healthcare expenditure per capita is relatively higher than other developed countries. In 2019 and 2020, the US health spending per capita almost doubled other developed nations, including Germany, Sweden, France, Australia, and the UK (Wager et al., 2022). Additionally, the US per capita health spending increased by 10% in 2019 and 2020 (Wager et al., 2022). This growth was relatively high than the increases reported by other comparable countries. Furthermore, the US differs from other comparable nations in terms of healthcare spending priorities. The US healthcare spending has given a high priority to individual healthcare services. According to McCullough et al. (2020), a disproportionately high amount of healthcare spending in the US funds individual healthcare services while a less amount is allocated to population-focused services. On the contrary, other comparable countries prioritize population-focused services. Lastly, the US differs from other countries in terms of cost-sharing. The US government pays for the highest percentage of public spending through various programs, including Medicaid, Medicare, and the Veterans Administration, reducing out-of-pocket payments made by individuals. On the contrary, other developed countries balance payments made by the federal government and expenses incurred by individuals. Comparative Analysis Assignment Paper

Step 4: Step 5: Current Issues and Sustainability

The selected topic relating to current issues and the sustainability of the healthcare current system is the effectiveness of holistic admissions in health science programs in reducing health disparities. Holistic admissions consider various aspects of an individual learner, including flexibility and personal qualities required to work as a future professional and member of society (Thomas & Dockter, 2019). In addition to traditional measures of academic achievement, the admission team considers the applicant’s personal qualities and life experience under holistic admissions review process (Thomas & Dockter, 2019). Thus, learners admitted to pursuing a particular program have the personal skills and life experience needed to provide high-quality care to a certain patient population in their practice as medical officers. Other factors considered in holistic admission are an applicant’s gender, ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status. Thus, learners, including minorities are given equal opportunities to enroll in nursing and medicine programs and acquire the knowledge, skills, experience, and competence needed to practice in various specializations. Therefore, learners use acquired competence to provide healthcare services to people from various backgrounds, including ethnic minorities, people with low social-economic status, underserved populations, and immigrants, resulting in positive health outcomes in these populations. Thus, holistic admissions play a significant role in reducing health disparities in the United States. Comparative Analysis Assignment Paper

Conclusion

The US government has enacted various healthcare policies to improve the quality of care and health outcomes in the US. The ACA was implemented to expand health insurance coverage in the US, and allow all Americans, including minorities and people with low-income status. Thus, access to high-quality healthcare services improved in the US, following the implementation of the ACA. Various measures of United States population health are comparable to other developed nations such as Europe nations, Canada, Australia, and the UK. The US public health and that of other developed countries can be compared in terms of chronic disease outcomes. The United States has a relatively high rate of chronic diseases compared to other developed nations. Secondly, The US public health can be compared to other developed nations in terms of hospital-related care. Hospital admissions related to various chronic diseases are relatively high in the US than in other comparable countries. Thirdly, the life expectancy of the US can be compared to other developed nations. The US life expectancy of the US is lower than that of other developed countries. Lastly, the US differs from other wealthy nations in terms of mortality rate. The mortality rate of the US is higher than its peers. COVID-19 has increased overall mortality rates in the United States. However, disproportionately high death cases have been reported among minorities, including Blacks and Latinos. The US economics of healthcare can be compared to other developed nations. In terms of gross domestic product (GDP), as it relates to healthcare spending and healthcare expenditure per capita, US healthcare spending is higher than other developed countries. Comparative Analysis Assignment Paper

References

Andrasfay, T., & Goldman, N. (2021). Reductions in 2020 US life expectancy due to COVID-19 and the disproportionate impact on the Black and Latino populations. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(5), e2014746118.

Blumenthal, D., Collins, S. R., & Fowler, E. (2020). The Affordable Care Act at 10 Years: What’s the Effect on Health Care Coverage and Access?  New England Journal of Medicine, https://doi.org/10.26099/5d64-x278

Kominski, G. F., Nonzee, N. J., & Sorensen, A. (2017). The Affordable Care Act’s impacts on access to insurance and health care for low-income populations. Annual review of public health, 38, 489. Doi: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-031816-044555

Brennan, P., Perola, M., van Ommen, G. J., & Riboli, E. (2017). Chronic disease research in Europe and the need for integrated population cohorts. European journal of epidemiology, 32(9), 741-749.

Kurani, N & Wager, E. (2021). How does the quality of the U.S. health system compare to other countries? Health System Tracker. https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/chart-collection/quality-u-s-healthcare-system-compare-countries/

McCullough, J. M., Leider, J. P., Resnick, B., & Bishai, D. (2020). Aligning US spending priorities using the health impact pyramid lens. American journal of public health, 110(S2), S181-S185.

Raghupathi, W., & Raghupathi, V. (2018). An empirical study of chronic diseases in the United States: a visual analytics approach to public health. International journal of environmental research and public health, 15(3), 431.

Thomas, B. R., & Dockter, N. (2019). Affirmative action and holistic review in medical school admissions: where we have been and where we are going. Academic Medicine, 94(4), 473-476.

Wager, E., Ortaliza, J., & Cox, C. (2022). How does health spending in the U.S. compare to other countries? Health System Tracker. https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/chart-collection/health-spending-u-s-compare-countries-2/#GDP%20per%20capita%20and%20health%20consumption%20spending%20per%20capita,%202020%20(U.S.%20dollars,%20PPP%20adjusted) Comparative Analysis Assignment Paper

Comparative Analysis: Instructions
Although there isn’t a single reason, in general, comparison allows us to identify the areas for improvement in our own system. As you have learned in the module, resources available for healthcare, human and monetary, are limited so spending on the areas that stand to produce the most impact is critical to reducing spending, improving outcomes, and long-term sustainability. Similar to the way your unit, office, or organization may benchmark its outcomes against national outcomes or those of comparable institutions to determine future courses of action, country-to-country comparisons allow us to do the same for several key indicators of our healthcare system.
The staff nurse is the hub of the interprofessional unit that cares for a client; the DNP graduate Is the nub or the intersection between practice, research, and policy and should be prepared to critically analyze the major drivers of policy (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2006). Comparative Analysis Assignment Paper

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Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 3:
The Affordable Care Act. Briefly compare current U.S. healthcare outcomes to the years prior to the enactment of the Affordable Care Act. What has improved, stayed the same, or worsened? Access, quality, and cost can provide you with a
Tramework Tor this section.
Population Health. Compare and contrast the following measures of population health in the U.S. to comparable developed nations. You may choose a single country or multiple countries to complete this.
a chronic arsease outcomes
(b) hospital-related care or patient safety outcomes
(c) life expectancy
(d) mortality rate
In addition to the above numerical figures, summarize current statistics on how COVID-19 has impacted the overall life expectancy for U.S. citizens based on their race.
Economics. Compare and contrast the economics of healthcare in the U.S to comparable developed nations. Include a comparison of the following:
(a) gross domestic product as it relates to healthcare spending
(b) healthcare expenditure per capita
(c) spending priorities
(d) cost sharing
Step 4:
Step 5:
Current Issues and Sustainability. Choose and discuss ONE (1) of the following related to current issues in and the sustainability of our current system:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E. Comparative Analysis Assignment Paper
Explain the relationship between the participation of healthy persons in the insurance system and insurance costs. How has removal of the tax penalty for the individual mandate affected (a) premium rates and (b) uninsured rates?
Summarize up-to-date information on U.S. birth rate trends and the growth of the senior population. What is the significance of the birth rate to the cost and sustainability of Medicaid/Medicare. How has the pandemic further impacted this sustainability?
Explain the relationship between immigration status, healthcare utilization, and health outcomes among this group of people. Discuss the implications of providing basic healthcare services to non-legal immigrants.
How have hospital mergers and the creation of healthcare conglomerates impacted healthcare cost and access to care in rural populations? Discuss concerns that Federal Trade Commission antitrust enforcement will not be enough to regulate healthcare prices.
Explain how climate change impacts maternal and newborn health outcomes. To what degree do hospitals contribute to carbon gas emissions? What changes in hospital operations may help organizations achieve carbon neutrality?
Health Disparities. Summarize current data on health disparities and inequities in our system. Identify some of the causes of health disparities, and explain how they lead to poorer outcomes. Lastly, explain the relationship between holistic admissions and/or affirmative action in health science programs (eg, nursing, medicine) and the ability to reduce health disparities.
Additional Notes:
• The paper should be approximately 7-8 pages in length (excluding title and reference pages).
• This is a formal paper and should include and introduction and a conclusion and avoid the use of first person. Comparative Analysis Assignment Paper
• The paper should be organized with APA-formatted headings that are consistent with rubric
oraer.
• Peer-reviewed references, evidence (results of formal inquiry published in the literature), and current data are your primary types of support and are necessary to develop posts as expected. There should be a minimum of 5 references included as support for your work.
• Relevant statistics and numerical data are expected to support your work throughout.
Submission Instructions: The paper should be submitted as either a Word document or a PDF to the designated space. Your work will automatically be submitted to turnitin.com upon
submission to the course. Comparative Analysis Assignment Paper