Watch this week’s videos and read the assignments in preparation for this discussion. You are encouraged to seek sources beyond the Learning Materials in Week 2 in this assignment.

While Republicans have not been unsuccessful so far in repealing the ACA, they have taken other steps to undermine it and have strongly opposed various Medicare for All proposals pending before Congress.

Democrats have proposed improvements in the ACA, and some have proposed the adoption of a “public” health insurance plan or adoption of a Medicare for All plan.

Using 500 to 750 words, write an initial post that describes the political alliances and positions by party and in the industry. In your analysis, include the financial arguments and the political/ideological arguments about the role of government versus the private sector changes that are intended to increase coverage. What do you think is the best way to improve health care coverage for all Americans? Why?

Cite additional sources beyond the Learning Materials for this week.

Required Resources

• Garfield, R., Orgera, K., Kaiser Family Foundation, & Damico, A. (2019, Jan.). The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, The Uninsured and the ACA: A Primer: Key Facts about Health Insurance and the Uninsured amidst Changes to the Affordable Care Act (PDF). Executive Summary and Introduction (pages 1 and 2), and Conclusion (page 18).
• Levitt, L. (March 11, 2020). The Affordable Care Act’s Enduring Resilience. Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law, 45(4). August 2020. DOI 10.1215/03616878-8255529 2020 by Duke University Press.
• Commonwealth Fund. (March 2020). The Supreme Court Will Decide the Face of the Affordable Care Act—Again. Retrieved from https://www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2020/supreme-court-will-decide-fate-affordable-care-act-again.
• Burns, K. (2020, May 6). Trump still wants to get rid of the Affordable Care Act, even as Covid-19 rages. Vox. Retrieved from https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2020/5/6/21249786/trump-wants-end-affordable-care-act.
• (2019, May 15). Compare Medicare-For-All and Public Plan Proposals. Retrieved from https://www.kff.org/interactive/compare-medicare-for-all-public-plan-proposals/.
• Neuman, T., Pollitz, K., & Tolbert, J. (2018, October 9). Medicare-For-All and Public Plan Buy-In Proposals: Overview and Key Issues. Retrieved from https://www.kff.org/report-section/medicare-for-all-and-public-plan-buy-in-proposals-overview-and-key-issues-issue-brief/.
• McDonough, J. (2019, November 23). Shareholders, Stakeholders, and US Healthcare. Health Stew Blog. Retrieved from https://healthstew.com/2019/11/23/shareholders-stakeholders-and-us-health-care/.
• McDonough, J. (2020, February 22). Why Medicare for All Won’t Happen in 2021. Health Stew Blog. Retrieved from https://healthstew.com/2020/02/22/why-medicare-for-all-wont-happen-in-2021/.
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Recommended Resources

• Side-by-Side Comparison of Medicare-for-all and Public Plan Proposals Introduced in the 116th Congress (PDF). (n.d.). Retrieved from http://files.kff.org/attachment/Table-Side-by-Side-Comparison-Medicare-for-all-Public-Plan-Proposals-116th-Congress.
• Collins, S. R., Gunja, M. Z., Doty, M. M., & Bhupal, H. K. (2018, May 10). Americans’ Confidence in Their Ability to Pay for Health Care Is Falling. The Point. Retrieved from https://www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2018/americans-confidence-their-ability-pay-health-care-falling.
• Kaiser Family Foundation. Kaiser Health Tracking Poll: The Public’s Views on the ACA. Retrieved from http://kff.org/interactive/kaiser-health-tracking-poll-the-publics-views-on-the-aca/.
• (2017, January 20). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health Insurance Coverage. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/health-insurance.htm.
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Required Videos

Harvard School Public Health Lectures

1. Register for the free Harvard course: United States Health Policy.
2. Follow the links to register and enroll as a student for this course.
3. Select “View Archived Course.”
4. Scroll down to see a list of sessions and topics listed under each session.
5. Open Session 1.2: Introduction to US Health Reform and the ACA.
6. Watch the videos in Topics 1–9 under Session 1.2.
7. Open Session 2.1: Medicare Parts A and B.
8. Watch the videos in Topics 1–5 under Session 2.1.
9. Open Session 2.2: Medicare Parts C and D.
10. Watch the videos in Topics 1–6 under Session 2.2.
11. Open Session 3.1: Medicaid Part 1.
12. Watch the videos in Topics 1–8 under Session 3.1.