The Affordable Care Act has affected hospital jobs in Indianapolis, Indiana. Dubbed as ObamCare is a law that reforms and regulates insurance companies and healthcare standards. The goal of the act is to provide coverage up to 95% of the United State’s citizens. Majority of the people who are going to be covered shall fall under the subsidy act by a sliding scale of citizens from 134% of federal poverty level up to 400 % of the federal poverty level. Hence, an expansion for coverage is certain.
Starting next year, there will be no limitations to per-existing conditions. No one shall be turned down for coverage because of such and those who are currently have a coverage without it, through ObamCare, the carrier will be able to provide for said condition. This is good news especially for someone who has been turned down for a coverage that he or she is more than willing to pay for. Another advantage that the reform offers is an expansion of increased prescription drugs for senior citizens. The doughnut hole will be closing and it will certainly release the cost burden for those who are on fixed incomes. More importantly, states shall set up health insurance exchange for both individual policy holders as well as small groups.
On the other hand, Indiana hospital jobs and employment is affected because the Affordable Care Act entails that there will be not enough primary care physicians. To date, there are a number of primary care doctors leaving private practice and the students who are coming in to the medical field at this point, would rather much study in the specialty field business where they are going to make more money. Thus in the future, there will be longer waits in order to see a primary care physician.
Another problem is the individual mandate, which has the objective of “wanting everybody into the pool”. In theory, it is ideally an Act that can be very beneficial because as it stands right now, typically, 80% of the insured population pays for 20% of the population who have a lot of care that is driving up the cost. By next year, if you decide that you don’t want to be covered under the individual mandate, you will be subject to a penalty of 1% of your income which will rise up to 2.5% of your taxable income by 2016
Moreover, hospital jobs in Indianapolis, Indiana will be greatly affected because of more taxes. Some of the greatly affected are: medical device manufacturers, shall be given an excise tax of 2.3%; individuals who have higher income will have an additional 0.9% penalty which will be an increase to their medical tax, and on investment income with and of addition 3.8%. Employer groups who have fifty or more employees, would have to pay a penalty or play by provide coverage for their employees. Otherwise, they could be subjected to to $2, 000.00 per covered employee with an exclusion for the first thirty employees.
However, it does not discourage employers from electing to turn their insured employees to purchase their own plans and individual exchange either by state or federal government. Rather than providing a coverage especially for their workforce.
Indiana hospital jobs and employment is affected because some hospitals are laying off employees for a cost-saving move. Reports say that it is due to the cuts to Medicare reimbursements brought bu ObamaCare. To sustain the health system services that the hospitals provide, adjustments, by restructuring, are being made in order to maintain the holistic care the they provide.
Nonetheless, hospitals in the Indianapolis are have negotiated reimbursement rates with private health insurers. The said rates are believed to be two or three times higher than those paid by the federal government through the Medicare program. Hopefully, by the end of the year, the truth on whether or not hospitals have the upper hand over insurers will soon be uncovered.
The jobs in Indianapolis, particularly in hospitals are still secured. Reports says, health insurers do not feel they are in the position to let any of the major hospitals in the Indianapolis area out of their network. Employers in Indiana provide a wide range of choices for their employees and missing one will be a big loss. Although ObamCare affects the hospitals, job opportunities in Indiana’s hospital industry is still a best choice to start a career.
Darren Wright's journal 