History of Healthcare Law Access Quality and Cost

Understanding historical trends is immensely significant for encompassing the successes and failures of past events in any field, especially those related to social life. The field of healthcare particularly needs such historical trend analysis to boost and upgrade the health sector according to the needs of modern times. The healthcare system has taken a long time to evolve while undergoing a series of events and adaptations. So, understanding its history may be informative and open new horizons for development and progression. Eventually, trend analysis may enhance the performance of healthcare administration by providing professional guidance and informing initiatives (Young & Kroth, 2018). In this context, it may ensure that medical services are provided with better quality and higher efficiency. Health sector administrators would be able to develop a comprehensive health system by utilizing technological resources in conjunction with research-based medical education. However, this paper will explore the analysis of historical trends regarding several measurable changes, including healthcare legislation, healthcare access, healthcare quality, and healthcare cost.

Trends and Regulations

In the USA, various measures of healthcare services, like access, quality, and cost, have evolved with the passage of time. Healthcare services are based on a free-market model controlled by the private sector under the umbrella of government departments. In other words, healthcare services are quite expensive. As far as healthcare regulations are concerned, their formulation was related to significant events beginning in the nineteenth century. Analyzing historical trends reveals that timelines represent the occurrence of significant events. From the 19^th century to the present day, these trends have adopted stabilized patterns that require the introduction of new regulations (Young & Kroth, 2018). Ultimately, in the history of medical services in the country, such additions of regulations have laid historical milestones.

Health Care Access

Access is a measurable variable upon which hospital care is determined, and several factors have been responsible for improved access over the past decades. For example, in the 1800s, there were almshouses or poorhouses that provided health services to poor people (Young & Kroth, 2018). Later, in the 1850s, physicians planned and implemented the hospital system. By the 1960s, Medicaid and Medicare health services were ensured for those in need. In addition, HEDIS (Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set) was promulgated by NCQA in 1989 to improve access standards. Meanwhile, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 was implemented to standardize healthcare insurance access for American nationals. It has increased access for a massive portion of the population. Similarly, Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) were launched to minimize healthcare costs, and in 2016, about four hundred and fifty ACOs contributed to the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) (Schwartz et al., 2018). This increased timely access to healthcare services in the long run.

Health Care Quality

Healthcare quality is considered the extent to which the desired state of health is achieved through provided services. It is a factual reality that quality is a measurable factor and continues to improve. Since the 19^th century, the quality of the healthcare system has improved in the USA. The Sanitation Commission standardized hygienic conditions in Union Army Camps in 1861. At the beginning of the twentieth century, three different regulations were introduced to improve quality. Similarly, in 1951, the Joint Commission enacted health inspection measures. In addition, the Social Security Amendments Act of 1972 was enacted in conjunction with the establishment of HCFA (Health Care Finance Administration) in 1977 to ensure the quality of healthcare services in the country (Sheingold & Hahn, 2014). Similarly, in 2005, the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act was formulated to check errors and prevent negative impacts on patient safety (Young & Kroth, 2018). These milestones highlight the regulatory timeline for ensuring quality measures over the decades.

Health Care Cost

Healthcare costs deal with charges encompassing health services like fees for various procedures, treatment expenses, and medication prices. These are significant in determining the expenses of healthcare administration institutions as well as the burden placed on the pockets of end users, i.e., patients. Medical costs began rising in the 1900s, and today they account for about 18% of total GDP. The first health insurance plan was promulgated in 1920, which allowed fees to be paid on a monthly or annual basis. However, HCFA (Health Care Finance Administration) controlled prices to some extent. In the 1980s and 1990s, medical expenses remained a hot topic in society. Similarly, HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) was introduced in 1996, which streamlined health insurance policy in the country (Young & Kroth, 2018). The trend analysis reveals that medical costs continued to steadily increase over time in the USA, and inflation has had a direct impact on such an increase.

Trend Analysis

It is pertinent to profoundly understand the evolution of the American healthcare system and its implications around the globe before analyzing trends and regulations concerning access, quality, and cost aspects of healthcare services. Undoubtedly, the health system has progressed significantly, but to date, thousands of people have diminished access due to a lack of insurance. Policy flaws are hindrances to the financial stability of these people. For example, the complexity of the health system environment was witnessed during COVID, when legislation did not significantly return conditions to normal. Such changes in legislation are not necessarily evidence-based for long-term implementation. Similarly, the quality of the healthcare system needs robust legislation, especially concerning insurance issues. The USA needs an urgent policy revision to provide health insurance benefits to a huge population group that lacks access to quality healthcare services. Meanwhile, concerning healthcare costs, the formation of regulations has improved conditions to some extent. For example, the Affordable Care Act, in conjunction with HEDIS and CMS, has positively contributed to the system (Young & Kroth, 2018).

Conclusion

From the above discussion, it can be inferred that accessibility, quality assurance, and costs are mandatory healthcare aspects for analyzing trends and milestones in the health system. Understanding its history reveals that enormous improvements have been achieved through applicable legislation. However, continuous monitoring, the urge for improvements, the positive role of regulatory agencies, and insurance coverage for a large portion of the population may guarantee better quality along with patient safety. The healthcare industry is undergoing tremendous change, and the future will mark new models with a special focus on access, quality, and cost aspects.

References

Schwartz, C. C., Ajjarapu, A. S., Stamy, C. D., & Schwinn, D. A. (2018). Comprehensive history of 3-year and accelerated US medical school programs: a century in review. Medical Education Online, 23(1), 1530557.

Sheingold, B. H., & Hahn, J. A. (2014). The history of healthcare quality: The first 100 years 1860–1960. International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences, 1, 18-22.

Young, K. M., & Kroth, P. J. (2018). Sultz & Young’s Health Care USA. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

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