Prof Name Course Name Student Name Capella University August 03 2024 Assessment 1 Identifying a Local Health Care Economic Issue OnlineClassAssignment com Do you need Help to complete your Capella Uni MSN FlexPath Class in 1 Billing Email Us contact OnlineClassAssignment com Website OnlineClassAssignment com For Free MSN Sample OnlineClassAssignment com free Sample Addressing a Local Healthcare Economic Issue Introduction Access to healthcare and su cient insurance coverage are essential issues affecting individuals healthcare providers and organizations The lack of adequate health insurance presents a signi cant economic challenge restricting timely access to quality healthcare services for many World Health Organization 2019 OnlineClassAssignment com Understanding Inadequate Health Insurance Coverage Individuals and families with low incomes are particularly vulnerable to insu cient health insurance coverage For example San Francisco General Hospital SFGH serves a large population of uninsured and underinsured individuals San Francisco Department of Public Health 2021 In 2019 10 of San Francisco residents lacked health insurance and another 9 faced di culties accessing care despite having Causes of Inadequate Healthcare Insurance The persistent problem of inadequate health insurance coverage has long strained the healthcare system This issue is important because of its widespread effects on patients providers and healthcare institutions In 2019 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC reported that 28 9 million people in the United States were uninsured a gure that has likely increased due to the COVID 19 pandemic CDC 2021 Do you need Help to complete your Capella Uni MSN FlexPath Class in 1 Billing Email Us contact OnlineClassAssignment com Website OnlineClassAssignment com For Free MSN Sample OnlineClassAssignment com free Sample insurance leading to delayed or avoided treatment and poorer health outcomes San Francisco Department of Public Health 2021 Effects of Inadequate Health Insurance Coverage At San Francisco General Hospital the high number of uninsured or Medicaid patients presents signi cant challenges This situation not only limits patient access to care but also places a nancial strain on the hospital due to uncompensated services In response SFGH has implemented initiatives such as nancial counseling and charity care programs to assist eligible patients San Francisco Department of Public Health 2021 Why Healthcare Insurance Was Selected Personal experiences as both a healthcare provider and community member in uenced the choice of this issue Observing the negative effects of inadequate insurance coverage on patients access to essential care as well as the nancial burden on healthcare organizations underscored the importance of addressing this problem The nancial barriers individuals and families face when seeking healthcare reinforce the belief that quality care should not be a nancial burden Rationale for Addressing Healthcare Insurance Addressing the issue of inadequate health insurance coverage is essential because access to quality healthcare is a fundamental human right When individuals are unable to obtain necessary medical care they are more likely to experience worsened health outcomes and nancial di culties Cohen et al 2020 Factors such as high healthcare costs complex insurance systems and limited affordable insurance options exacerbate this issue in the U S Cohen et al 2020 OnlineClassAssignment com Signi cant Impacts of Healthcare Insurance on Various Groups The lack of su cient healthcare insurance signi cantly affects my work as a healthcare provider as well as my organization colleagues and the broader community This issue disproportionately affects diverse and lower socioeconomic groups exacerbating health disparities Tolbert et al 2020 Many patients avoid necessary medical care due to cost concerns which leads to poorer health outcomes particularly among those from marginalized or economically disadvantaged backgrounds Phuong et al 2022 For healthcare organizations uncompensated care creates nancial strain limiting the ability to invest in new technologies or infrastructure and potentially contributing to workforce challenges like understa ng and burnout Camilleri Diebold 2019 Do you need Help to complete your Capella Uni MSN FlexPath Class in 1 Billing Email Us contact OnlineClassAssignment com Website OnlineClassAssignment com For Free MSN Sample OnlineClassAssignment com free Sample Gaps Contributing to Inadequate Healthcare Insurance A major gap contributing to insu cient healthcare insurance is the lack of comprehensive and affordable insurance options especially for lower income and diverse populations This gap is exacerbated by high healthcare costs limited employer sponsored insurance and restrictive eligibility criteria for public insurance programs Kaiser Family Foundation 2020 Political opposition to the Affordable Care Act ACA has also created uncertainty regarding the future of healthcare access and coverage Closing these gaps is essential to advancing health equity and improving health outcomes for all Odeny 2021 Policy Solutions Comprehensive policy solutions are needed to expand access to affordable and inclusive health insurance for everyone regardless of race income or pre existing conditions Odeny 2021 Potential strategies could include expanding Medicaid eligibility strengthening the ACA marketplace and addressing the social determinants of health that contribute to disparities in insurance coverage Supporting Evidence for Policy Solutions Research shows that policy interventions designed to expand health insurance access can signi cantly improve both health outcomes and nancial stability for individuals and healthcare providers For example a study on Medicaid expansion in Michigan found that the expansion was associated with improved access to care better health outcomes and reduced nancial strain on individuals and healthcare organizations McInerney et al 2020 OnlineClassAssignment com Conclusion The lack of adequate healthcare insurance coverage is a critical economic issue that affects individuals healthcare providers and communities particularly those from diverse or lower socioeconomic backgrounds High healthcare costs and restrictive eligibility for public insurance programs contribute to insurance gaps resulting in poor health outcomes and nancial burdens for both individuals and healthcare organizations