Understanding the Language of Health Reform

Authors

Betty Rambur, Betty Rambur is the Routhier Endowed Chair and professor of nursing at the University of Rhode Island College of Nursing in Providence. Joyce Pulcini is a professor of nursing at George Washington University in Washington, DC. Contact author: Betty Rambur, brambur@uri.edu. Betty Rambur is a member of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC). The views presented here are those of the authors and do not reflect MedPAC recommendations. The authors have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise. A podcast with the authors is available at www.ajnonline.com.
Joyce Pulcini

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

1-1-2022

Journal

The American journal of nursing

Volume

122

Issue

1

DOI

10.1097/01.NAJ.0000815436.83350.da

Abstract

COVID-19 has accelerated the dialogue surrounding access to health insurance, including the potential for a public option, "Medicare for All," or modification of the 2010 Affordable Care Act. A dizzying array of terms and assertions surround these health policy discussions, as well as misrepresentation and lack of specificity. This article offers a primer on contemporary reform terms and options that are likely to be prominent over the next several years and outlines some health care-related elements of the American Rescue Plan Act, a massive COVID-relief act passed in March 2021. The aim of this nonpartisan overview is to enhance nurses' understanding of these terms as a basis for effective participation in public policy and patient advocacy.

APA Citation

Rambur, Betty and Pulcini, Joyce, "Understanding the Language of Health Reform" (2022). GW Authored Works. Paper 418.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/418

Department

Nursing Faculty Publications