Affordable Care Act: It’s Effect on Health Care Utilization and the Health of Minnesotans

Abstract

In the United States, there are several different types of health care, including the Veteran’s Health care system, Medicare/Medicaid systems and private health care systems. The introduction of the Affordable Care Act sparked an additional type of health care option and further empowerment of citizens to engage in their health outside of their employment status. My interest in this area was started from previous employment and interactions within these systems and the complex nature of how they affect health care outcomes; both positively and negatively. This paper focuses on a small portion of this complicated subject and how it interacts with individuals and their health.

There is a large body of evidence showing that access to medical care improves health outcomes. Patients who see the doctor regularly are more likely to receive consistent preventative care, have conditions like cancer and diabetes detected early, and have a higher quality of life (Christopher, 2015). Coverage of preventative care services aims to reduce the amount of undiagnosed or untreated conditions. This is expected to reduce costs through less invasive or complex treatment options (Dixon, 2014).