Improved healthcare access

    The need for improved healthcare access, outcomes, and patient safety are tremendous, and the problems related to making those improvements are daunting. The current financial state of this nation has challenged the United States to support the needs of the citizens. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), for example, is a major state and federal government healthcare reform initiative that has significant economic implications on health and medical care markets in the United States. What are the basic economic features of the ACA, and how do basic economic principles shape healthcare services and delivery?