The effects of national health care reform on local businesses-part II: Study methodology and primary research questions

摘要

This is the second part of a 3-part examination of what may be potentially expected from the 2010 national health care reform legislation. Political researchers and pundits have speculated endlessly on the many changes mandated by the 2010 national health care reform legislation, styled the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. A review and assessment of this legislation at several levels (federal, state, state agency, local region, and individual business leaders) were undertaken. The results of this expanded analysis suggest strongly that, nationally, members of the business community and their employees will benefit from the legislation early on (years 1 through 3) and then likely will be impacted adversely as the payment mechanisms driving the legislation are tightened by new federal regulations (year 4 onward). As a result of this research, it is surmised that businesses will be immediately impacted by the legislation, with small business owners being the prime beneficiaries of the new legislation, owing to the availability of coverage to approximately 32 million individuals who previously had no access to coverage. In that regard, the soon-to-be-newly insured population also will be a prime beneficiary of the legislation as the limitations on chronic illnesses and other preexisting conditions will be reduced or eliminated by the legislation.