Melissa Nelson '10

A couple of weeks ago an announcement was made about the Affordable Care Act(ACA) and that it passed. Since then many people including myself have been trying to understand and learn how the ACA will impact us. In class last week, our professors brought in a guest speaker from the National Physician Alliance who helped us to understand the impact of the ACA not only to USA residents but also  to the healthcare profession itself. It was interesting to learn exactly what this ACA is all about. In theory I think it is a good thing.

Healthcare should be a right not a privilege. Where is the dignity, when a child is unable to get care because of a medical condition? Where is the dignity when individuals have to choose whether they should live or die because they are unable to afford medical costs?  Don’t get me wrong, I think the US is scared because no one knows what the outcome will be or how this act will be financed. Will this ACA truly help US residents? Who knows but we shall see in the next couple of years when it goes into effect.

I have posted below a video that we saw in class that breaks down the ACA. Its really cool and interactive!      Check it out : Healthcare Reform Hits Main Street

We just started our community health rotation today and so far so good. I am looking forward to this rotation since we will be working in the West Philadelphia community. We will be working with a program that is similar to the PACE program. PACE stands for Programs for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly. They provide a numerous amount of services to the elder( ie Physical therapy, occupational therapy, dental and medical services to name a few) in order to increase their quality of life. The unique aspect of the program we are working with is that it is the only one that is run by a nursing school and is operated primarily by nurse practitioners.  I am looking forward in learning how this comprehensive program works and the benefits it has to the elderly population.  I hope everyone has a wonderful 4th!