The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) has had a great impact on healthcare today. Key points of the Act are the words “protection” and “affordable”. The lack of transparency in the healthcare system is changing as providers work to achieve both protection (eliminate medical errors and never events) and affordability (provide the right care in the right place at the right time).

While many actions to achieve fewer medical errors and never events have been taken by middle and upper management, the focus going forward will be on the direct care providers and front-line managers. Assuring that the safe care is being met on an affordable level will require continuous changes in the way healthcare is delivered.

Objectives

After studying the information presented, the reader should be able to:

• Discuss the major historical points related to the movement of the USA to a national healthcare system
• Define important terms used to discuss/describe portions of the Patient Protection and Affordability Act
• Provide rationale for the development of the Patient Protection and Affordability Act
• Describe changes to current insurance plans
• Discuss exceptions to the mandates in the insurance plans defined in the Patient Protection and Affordability Act
• Discuss elements of Section 1182 of the Social Security Act as they relate to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
• Identify and briefly discuss models of care as a result of the transformation of care in acute care facilities
• List changes expected of patients as a result of care transformation