The COVID-19 related deaths keep on rising which are making people scared, frustrated, and confused regarding the future of healthcare and safety. It shows the frustration level of people which is normal and understandable as the uncertainty about the situation prevails. Along with that, Trump’s healthcare policies are under fire, worsening the public’s trust in the government and the healthcare system.
While most people have not even paid attention to the wreckage in the US healthcare system, others are still unable to realize the intensity of this situation.
Also Read- A Top Health Expert Resigns Over Ethical Concerns on Russian Coronavirus Vaccine
Two professors from the Boston University School of Public Health have come up analyzing the Trump’s healthcare policies, one of them investigates the current economics and data analysis based on statistical reports while the other compared it with respect to the law.
According to them the larger picture of this current situation shows the safety and efficacy of the federal system, which empowers all states to formulate policies. But overall, this thing has made the coordinated pandemic response more difficult.
They have pointed towards two major steps taken by Trump’s government which should receive more thoughtfulness and response than they are having. While attempting to formulate the Medicaid funding, the questions on the Affordable Care Act, as a whole should be raised.
The complexity of this matter and the political reasons have a huge impact on the healthcare system, urging the government to change the Medicaid funds. It is an insurance plan designed for the low-income households in the United States which also provides protection to older people and disabled citizens.
Medicaid program is partially covered by the states and the rest is paid by the federal government. This makes it to 50% to 83% of the program in some cases. Irrespective of the total Medicaid subscribers, the sharing policy applies in every case. The federal support helps the Medicaid insurance holders to meet their healthcare expenditures.
Now, the Trump administration is trying to change this unlimited and unaccounted support from the federal government. It is suggesting to use an alternative program for payment which is called “block grants.”
Medicaid has been working like this for the last 55 years but changing its funding method may affect millions of citizens which rely on this program to take care of their health.
Also Read: Getting A Coronavirus Vaccine Shot May Not Be Made Mandatory, Says Fauci
The Trump administration has introduced a new type of Healthy Adult Opportunity policy. It will not only change how the Medicaid program used to work but also may change the amount of insurance plans.
Instead of how Medicaid used to work, this new association will cut the amount of funding between the states and federal units equally. So the grant would be the same for per capita cap or same for annual funding which would be fixed. Both ways, in case of exceeding funds, not the federal but state government will be responsible for paying them. Many policy analysts find this change in policy is not wise, and illegal especially without changing the federal laws.
While staying fit and healthy is the first priority of the US government especially in this pandemic when everyone is affected by the mismanaged COVID-19 cases, changes in the insurance plans may be unwise.
