ABSTRACT
The lack of health care insurance disproportionally affects individuals from racial and ethnic minority communities with chronic, yet in some instances, preventable health conditions. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) will provide insurance coverage to an additional 32 million Americans not currently insured. More than half of these additional insured include racial and ethnic minorities. The ACA not only reduces financial barriers to health care, but also improves access to quality behavioral health care for all. This article describes the benefits and impact of the ACA on individuals from racial and ethnic communities.
Subject(s)
Ethnicity , Health Services Accessibility/organization & administration , Mental Disorders/therapy , Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act/legislation & jurisprudence , Racial Groups , Health Services Accessibility/economics , Health Services Accessibility/legislation & jurisprudence , Health Status Disparities , Healthcare Disparities/ethnology , Humans , Insurance Coverage/legislation & jurisprudence , Insurance, Health/legislation & jurisprudence , Mental Health Services/organization & administration , Socioeconomic Factors , Substance-Related Disorders/therapy , United StatesABSTRACT
With passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), the behavioral health community has achieved entry into the mainstream of U.S. health care. Passage of the law was the culmination of a long effort by advocates. At the same time, findings from research and practice have informed the nation's understanding that behavioral health is integral to health. The primary task before the behavioral health community now is to ensure that the advances of recent years are secured through implementation of the ACA and approaches to service delivery that emphasize integrated care.
Subject(s)
Mental Disorders/therapy , Mental Health Services/history , Patient Advocacy/history , Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act/history , Health Policy , History, 20th Century , History, 21st Century , Humans , Mental Health Services/organization & administration , Politics , Substance-Related Disorders/therapy , United StatesABSTRACT
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is legislation that might ultimately make health insurance coverage available to all Americans. The ACA is scheduled for full implementation in 2014. Many decisions are still being made concerning implementation. Provisions of the ACA are of paramount importance to persons with mental illnesses and substance use disorders. This is a brief overview of key elements of the ACA and potential effects on consumers of behavioral health services and their families. Behavioral health consumers and their families include persons with mental illnesses, as well as persons with substance use disorders, and their families.
