Impact of the Affordable Care Act Essay Example for Free

Impact of the Affordable Care Act Essay Impact of the Affordable Care Act on North Carolinas Uninsured Health insurance is one of the most important benefits a citizen can have in America. Some Americans who work acquire health insurance through their employers. But then, there are Americas who do not work and therefore, are unable to have health insurance. The Affordable Care Act was signed into law on March 23, 2010 by President Obama and the United States Congress, (North Carolina’s Institute of Medicine, 2012). This paper will focus on the impact of the Affordable Care Act on North Carolina’s uninsured. With the rising cost in health care and high co-payments pertaining to medical conditions, some people cannot afford health insurance. With the loss of jobs and losing their livelihood, some people cannot afford insurance. Individuals who work with small businesses do not have health insurance because these small businesses cannot afford to provide health insurance benefits for their employees. Some people just do not work and therefore, do not have health insurance. This whole uninsured population is the ones who do not seek health care when they have health issues or have chronic medical conditions, and also do not practice preventative care. According to the North Carolina’s Institute of Medicine (2012), there was 1.6 million (19%) uninsured people living in North Carolina in 2010 and According to Milstead (4th edition, 2013), this group of uninsured whose income was below federal poverty level included pregnant women, children 18 years old and under, parents who were employed or unemployed, adults without children, disabled and the elderly population. By 2014, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) offered much new coverage for the uninsured population. It required states to offer Medicaid insurance to working families whose income was below the federal poverty level of 138%, that is $30,429 for a family of four ( Milstead, 2013). According to North Carolina’s Institute of Medicine (NCIOM), For a family making above the federal poverty level, but not enough to afford  health insurance, the ACA provided subsidies to help them purchase private insurance through new insurances that was created by the ACA. Before ACA, Medicaid only covered children, parents, pregnant women, disabled people and the elderly. Now in 2014, it is available to all adults making below the federal income level (NICOM, 2012). This population of insured people will now receive health services, preventative services, and prescription drugs and so on. By 2014, with the Affordable Care Act in effect, according to (NCIOM, 2012), almost 800,000 of people living in North Carolina that were not insured will be insured. 41% of this population will obtain insurance through private insurances and 59% through Medicaid. With this amount of surplus in insured patients, health care workers and professionals will be in greater demand, especially primary care providers. This may cause a longer wait period to see ones’ primary provider or a specialist. There will also be a decrease in treating preventative care. North Carolina is aware that there will be a shortage of medical personnel’s with this demand. They have to find the funds to educate and have enough health care providers to ensure that the workforce is available to meet the state’s demand of insured people. The health care workforce, who are the primary workers, include doctors, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, physicians’ assistants, psychologists, psychiatrists , medical assistants, nurse midwives, and licensed practical nurses. This workforce, in a broad spectrum, ensures that patients receive optimal quality care, treat and teach preventative care, manage chronic illnesses, both physically and mentally. To be able to increase the medical workforce in order to meet the health care needs of the population, North Carolina’s schools and universities have increased their students’ class capacities. Some of these schools including Duke University School of Medicine, The UNC Chapel Hill Department of Pediatrics/ UNC Hospitals, the nursing programs at UNC Wilmington, Western Carolina University and many others have received funding from the ACA and other agencies. Other groups are responsible to offer loans and scholarships in the effort to attract students into the medical field. Rural training is also available to students as well. (NICOM, 2012). North Carolina is also  encouraging a diversified form of teaching and is encouraging minorities to be a part of the medical workforce. They believe that patients will adhere to practicing better health and lifestyle changes if they are told to do so from someone of their own race. North Carolina is taking appropriate steps to be able to meet the health care needs of its insured people. The State has taken steps to expand the medical team workforce through offering scholarships and grants to different universities. This is to enable patients to receive access to good quality health care, both in the urban and rural areas. Community centers infrastructures are been redesigned to meet the needs of the insured population. Health insurance companies are responsible to provide health benefits such as low co-payments according to the plan an individual or family signs up for (NICOM, 2012). Health insurance companies are also responsible to be able to help pay for prescriptions drugs, outpatient care, emergency care, hospitalization, and preventative care practices. According to( NICOM, 2012), North Carolina is not a healthy state, but with the introduction of the ACA, they are planning to become a healthy state in the year 2020. The ethical implications of the Affordable Care Act are giving the citizens of North Carolina a right to have health insurance. No one should avoid going to the doctor when they are sick because they cannot afford it. Everyone should have a choice to practice preventative care medicine. According to the Whitehouse.gov, pre-existing conditions will no longer be a barrier to obtaining health insurance. Individuals and families will receive tax credit support to pay for their coverage. All in all, the Affordable Care Act has given all Americans the right to have health insurance. References North Carolina Institute of Medicine (NCIOM). Examining the Impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in North Carolina, 2012. Retrieved from http://www.nciom.org The Affordable Care Act: Immediate Benefits for North Carolina. Retrieved www.whitehouse.gov/files/documents/healthcare-facts Milstead, J. Health Policy and Politics, 2013.

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Everglades National Park is sanction to some of the most exceptional animal and plant ecosystems. From the tall, sunny rock pinelands to the humid, lush hardwood hammocks to the tropical, sawgrass marsh, the everglades is believed to be one of the most diverse and astonishing ecosystems in the United States. Sounds of birds tickle your eardrums, beautiful flowers bloom in the radiant morning sun, animals graze peacefully as they go about their day in their natural habitat. It is a breath taking sight and the most popular place for sightseers to go observe the wildlife or kick back and relax and take in the soothing fresh air. As you travel deeper into the hammocks you start to notice over population of certain plants. These types of plants are called invasive species, which are plants that are brought form other countries and other ecosystems and inserted into the everglades ecosystem. These plants begin to take over the everglades and eventually kill off and prevent native plants from growing. Plants like the Brazilian pepper, which kills all surrounding vegetation and can cause skin irritation, are of the highest threat to the everglades. They currently cover about 700,000 acres of north and southern Florida, and about 400,000 acres just in the Everglades National Park. Roughly 18,000 plants species are native to the numerous ecosystems of North America. Our native flora, United States native plants, allocates the infrastructure of the historic American landscape and determines the diverse ecosystems and regions of our country. These plants also supply natural sources of food, fiber, and other elements that we rely on for everyday life. The communities of various native plants have been significantly minimized as a result of ... ...r controlled activities. Natural upheaval such as fires, floods, tornadoes, and tree falls also provide way for invasive species to grow. The huge change brought upon the Florida landscape over the last few hundred years has set things out of balance. Without exotic species, native species and ecosystems would normally benefit from natural disturbances because they provide a chance for genetic mixing and nutrient recycling to occur. In early 2008, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Everglades National Park joined together to initiate a Florida Invaders, a program used to raise awareness about what’s being done and what we should do to help stop invasive flora and fauna from spreading. â€Å"The program was a good start but they should further raise awareness of the seriousness of the problem,† said Christine Beck, Ecology teaching assistant and FIU.

tories, fairytales and myths

Stories, fairytales and myths that were created thousand years ago are relevant today. These folklores have provided the basis for some cultures and in some cultures is a way of life. Stories and fairytales are relevant today, because they often have hidden meanings, which are often times used as examples in everyday life.Take for instance the story of the Tortoise and the Hare, this story shows that being big and strong does not help you to win, but using your wits and your brain is what helps you to overcome certain things. It also teaches us today, that slow and steady won the race and it never pays to be in a hurry and brag about how good you are.The story of Cinderella is relevant to today’s society as, you still have a lot of Cinderalla’s around. Especially the part about the wicked stepmother and how her siblings treated her. This story of Cinderella is all too real within our present day society, and it is up to us to rescue the Cinderalla’s of our time.G reek mythologies are very important and relevant to today’s society. From the story of Pandora we have the concept of beautiful evil, which is still prevalent in our society. Pandora was the image of a perfect, beautiful woman, she was created to please the eye and deceive mankind.This idea of a ‘beautiful evil' is still present in today's society. In the mass media viewers are constantly bombarded with images of beautiful women in sexual roles and evil roles.Women are often portrayed as gifts to men and then become detrimental to them. This ‘good girl gone bad' image has its roots in Pandora's myth. Pandora was a perfect, beautiful woman when Epimetheus took her as his wife. But Pandora was a little too curious. Her weakness and inferior mind led her to open the container and release all of the evils onto mankind.Stories today form the basis of many cultures, as stories in some cultures are handed down from generation to generation, to teach life lessons and illu strate the folly of mankind. Often time’s stories are used as references and examples, when disciplining a troublesome child or are used as a way to inform a person of the consequences of their actions. An example of this is the story of the Boy Who Cried Wolf. This little boy cried wolf so many times that he was not believed when the wolf actually came and took the sheep.This serves as a lesson to would be liars, children and even adults who like to play pranks. The moral of the story is that, sometimes when you lie or make things up a lot, it is very hard for anyone to believe you. In the end the young boy learned his lesson.Some people argue that stories, fairytales and myths are rubbish and have no relevance in today’s society, but in my opinion, they do give relevance to the meaning of life, and what it is to love and live. You can live and not be happy. Fairytales especially, the ones like Cinderella make you believe in happy endings. Happy endings still exist to day, regardless of what people think.The story of Hansel and Gretel has a moral to it, that appearances are deceiving. This is very true in today’s society. Appearances among people are very deceiving and often times, you get trapped by the very person that seems to want to help you, only to destroy or try to destroy you in the end.To me the fairytale of Hansel and Gretel speak of caution and cautions people to beware of who they are around. I also think that Hansel and Gretel is a great story for teaching children not to trust strangers and to be aware of the people they are around. In conclusion, stories, fairytales, and myths are just as relevant a today as they were thousands of years ago.Works CitedTyree, R. (1998). Pandora. Retrieved April 15, 2008, from http://www.arthistory.sbc.edu/imageswomen/papers/tyreepandora/pandora.html   

Harvesting Pine Straw for Mulch

Pine straw is fast becoming the favored mulch and ground-cover for landscapers and homeowners in urban America. This trend is providing another non-traditional ways for a pine forest to provide extra income to the forest owner. Here are the most frequently asked questions about the increasingly lucrative pine needle harvest. Here are answers to many questions asked by people wanting to learn a bit more about harvesting pine straw. This Frequently Asked Questions page is for those interested in growing pine straw for harvest or for those who want to use pine straw as a mulch. Q: When is a pine forest ready for its first needle harvest?A: You have a potentially productive situation when an already established stand of pines reach at least 8 years of age. Q: What species of pine is considered the best for mulching and landscaping?A: Raking and baling is much easier when you have long needles. A short needled tree is nearly impossible to prepare correctly for handling, transporting...read more. Q: What season do you harvest pine needles?A: The Fall. It has been found that October and November are usually the best months to harvest straw as it is when you will harvest the most in the best condition...read more. Q: At what age is a pine forest most productive for needles?A: Needle-fall in a pine stand increases with age to a peak at age 15 years. The drop remains relatively constant...read more. Q: What can I expect pine straw yields to be?A: If you begin raking when a pine stand is 6 years old, the yields will be relatively low at 50 to 75 bales per acre. At age 10, pine straw...read more. Q: Is removing needles from a site harmful?A: Yes and no. Repeated removal of the pine straw may have dramatic effects on a forest stand...read more. Q: Should I fertilize my pine stand?A: Fertilizer may be used to improve tree growth and replace some of the nutrients that are removed with raking. Fertilization may also increase...read more. Q: What should I expect to get for my pine straw?A: Sources in North Carolina suggest that Private landowners often sell their longleaf pine straw to producers, who do the raking and baling. The producer pays...read more. Q: Where can I get pine straw help?A: The best source of information on pine needle mulch is with your agricultural extension forester or your state forester...read more. Q: Why is the pine needle so popular a mulch to homeowners? A: Landscapers and building contractors are just discovering that pine straw works much better than bark nuggets or...read more.