Asthma, Health Care, and the Law

Abstract

In 2010 the projected direct cost for health care expenditures for asthma is $15.6 billion, including $5.5 billion for hospital care. For the uninsured, the cost of preventative and emergency treatment can be staggering. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act seeks to increase access to insurance coverage. It currently protects children from being denied insurance coverage on the basis of asthma as a pre-existing condition; this protection will expand to include adults in 2014. Likely problems with the law for patients include political factions attempting to defund or overturn some or all parts of the law, and ever-increasing insurance premiums coupled with plans that offer no more than the minimum-mandated coverage. Additionally, because the law is looking to reduce Medicare expenditures, Accountable Care Organizations would receive payment for improving the quality of health care and reducing costs. This change in reimbursement and the movement to larger group cooperation has the potential to challenge a physician’s ability to effectively advocate for more expensive but more effective treatments.