The Affordable Care Act  (ACA) is one of the main reforms that have been made in the US healthcare system in the recent past. Enacted and passed into law in 2010, the ACA is still being implemented by the country and some states. There are a number of components that are aimed at improving patient outcomes and also decreasing costs of care among Americans. One of the things that the ACA does is expand coverage (Goldman, & Sommers, 2020). A considerable number of Americans were not insured and the ACA extended health insurance to millions of Americans in the country and this increase in coverage is crucial for ensuring that more people have access to medical services than they had earlier and this can lead to improved healthcare outcomes (Zhao et al/. 2020). The ACA has led to the expansion of Medicaid and Medicare in different states. This will help in ensuring that there are more Americans who are capable of accessing healthcare at a reduced cost (Goldman, & Sommers, 2020). Some of those who did not have insurance coverage or were not part of Medicaid or Medicare used to pay for their healthcare from their pockets and this is what led to high costs in the care process (Zhao et al/. 2020). This shows that expanding insurance coverage and making it easier for people to get prescription drugs and not be discriminated against due to having existing conditions will help in improving patient outcomes and reducing the cost of care among Americans especially those who have chronic ill illnesses.

The ACA has also led to the creation of accountable care organizations that coordinate care in the country, especially for Medicare beneficiaries. The aim of such organizations has been to enhance quality and efficiency while at the same time reducing costs in the country. Providers of care are incentivized to focus on preventive care and this has led to better outcomes for patients (Goldman, & Sommers, 2020). The ACA has also been at the forefront in promoting prevention and also wellness among citizens. Prevention means that people can focus on the prevention of various diseases in the community such as diabetes and cancer by adopting various approaches in the process (Zhao et al/. 2020). Prevention accompanied by screening is essential in making sure that diseases are detected early and in stages where it is easier for them to be managed with ease compared to when they are detected late. This helps in improving patient outcomes while at the same time helping in the reduction of costs in American society.

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