preview

Affordable Care Act Case Study

Better Essays

The fertility rate is an important factor when evaluating the health of the public. Despite the United States having one of the best healthcare systems in the world, approximately 13% of women between the age of 18 & 44 have trouble conceiving. Although the US has implemented the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a landmark policy, assisting millions of Americans in obtaining health insurance, unless altered, the policy could hurt the 3 out of 20 women who struggle with infertility. After evaluating the core essential benefits of the Affordable Care Act, the views of stakeholders, and the state mandates, an easy solution can be established to assist those suffering from impaired fecundity.

Introduction

Although minimum mandates …show more content…

Among females between the ages of 18 and 44, 12.7% had impaired fecundity in 2002, with the percentage slightly improving to 11% over the span of 2006-2010. CITE The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) defines infertility as a health problem, and has made decreasing it a goal by defining it as an objective in the Healthy People 2020.

The number one cause of infertility in women is polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). It is an endocrine disorder, which affects 7%, or one out of fifteen, women in the population. CITE Although reducing body weight by 10% has shown to improve frequency of ovulation and chances of conception, this is one of the few nonmedical interventions a women can try in order to improve the possibility for pregnancy. All other forms of treatment require a medical or pharmaceutical …show more content…

Some states cover In Vitro Fertilization and other medically aided insemination procedures, while other states only cover pharmaceutical therapy. Some of the states who offer the use of advanced reproductive technologies, places limits on lifetime attempts, similarly states who only offer drug therapy limit the approved list of drugs. Infertility coverage varies from state to state, even in states with a mandate.

The level of coverage tends to reflect the views of the individual state, and their constituents. States who are highly influenced by the religious facets of society often put limits of the list of approved interventions. In 2009 the Catholic Church stated “The church has compassion for couples suffering from infertility and want to be of real help to them. At the same time, some ‘reproductive technologies’ are not morally legitimate ways to solve those problems.” Many other religious groups have similar opinions, and advocate for a limitation in the approved procedures.
The religion argument does not really work – I would take this out bc so far you have been discussing the economics and politics of coverage and then out of left field you throw in a paragraph on religion that has no

Get Access