The Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act of 2010

With the passing of the P.P.A.C.A., the government has taken a step towards reshaping the U.S. health care system. In your paper, you should describe the key characteristics of the act, review some of the major historical developments that resulted in its passage, and explain the major influences that shaped its creation. In addition, you will compare and contrast information about the act from a popular lay media report (like a website or newspaper/magazine article) with other official information available from academic research and/or governmental sources. Based on what you read, you will take a position on what you think some of the biggest pros and cons of the act are. Finally, you should analyze how the act will affect the U.S. health care system in terms of cost, quality, access, and the provision of services.

You must use the Ashford library to conduct the research necessary to complete this assignment. Prior to beginning this assignment, you are strongly encouraged to complete the Research Tutorial (specifically, units 2-3 and 5-8), which is available through the Ashford University Library.

In a three to four page double-spaced paper (excluding title and reference page), respond to the following:

1. Describe the purpose and history of the act. What issues in the U.S. health care system was the act intended to address? How did those issues develop historically? Provide examples that illustrate the historical development of the act.
2. Describe the key features of the P.P.A.C.A.? How will the act impact the U.S. health care system?
3. Compare and contrast the lay media report(s) with what scholarly sources say about the act. What do the popular lay media say about the P.P.A.C.A.? How do popular lay media reports compare to official (governmental or academic research) information available about the P.P.A.C.A.?
4. Describe your personal opinion about the act. What is your opinion about the P.P.A.C.A. overall? What do you believe are some of the pros and cons of the act? How did you develop that opinion?
5. Analyze the expected effect of the act in terms of cost, quality, access and the provision of services. Which features of the P.P.A.C.A. do you think will have the biggest effect (positive or negative) on our health care system?

Your paper must utilize three sources, including one “lay” media source (like a website, television broadcast, or print media article) and two scholarly sources. One of the two scholarly sources must be obtained from an academic journal accessed through the Ashford Online Library and the other may be an academic reference or a governmental or professional website taken from the Health Care Administration Subject Guide (located in the Ashford Library). All sources must be documented in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.