Health Practice Tools

Social workers in a variety of treatment settings may interact with clients or patients who have an advance directive or other documents related to health care proxy decision making or clients who would benefit from executing such a document or documents.

Health insurance exchanges are a hallmark of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). Exchanges are state-based health insurance marketplaces, where individuals and small businesses can purchase affordable health coverage. Designed to create a more organized and competitive system for buying health insurance, exchanges will offer a choice of different health plans, certify participating plans for compliance with federal requirements, and provide information to help consumers better understand their insurance options and make informed choices. Low-income individuals will receive federal subsidies to cover the cost of insurance purchased through the exchanges.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA), otherwise known as the new health reform law, expands care and services to a number of low- and moderate-income, non-elderly individuals and families, who otherwise may have had limited or no access to health insurance coverage. With the current economic instability, financial insecurity, and increased poverty rates, many adults—both men and women—struggle to provide basic needs of food, shelter, and health care for themselves and their families.

The accountable care organization is a new breed of health care provider, which embraces three core principles: patient-centered primary care, payment reform, and meaningful performance measurement. Specifically, an ACO is a network of hospitals, clinics, physician practices and other providers who work together to provide coordinated, integrated care for an assigned population of individuals and who receive financial compensation for meeting specific patient outcomes. The foundation of an ACO is the primary care medical home. All ACO enrollees are assigned a medical home provider (typically a physician or nurse), who is accountable for the all the healthcare services an individual receives. 

The “medical home” concept dates to the late 1960s and has, until recently, been confined largely to the pediatric community. However, in the health reform era, the concept is being embraced as a model of health care delivery that is comprehensive and cost efficient, particularly for people with complex health conditions. Medical home programs are growing rapidly, fueled by interest from both the public and private sectors. The hallmark of the medical home is integrated, multi-disciplinary care that meets a patient’s physical and behavioral health needs. 

Since 1979, Healthy People has functioned as the public health roadmap for the nation. A comprehensive set of national 10-year health objectives, Healthy People serves as a foundation for prevention and wellness activities for the federal government, states and communities, as well as many public and private sector agencies and organizations throughout the U.S. A fluid document that has evolved as the nation’s public health priorities have changed, Healthy People undergoes an extensive stakeholder feedback process with each new iteration.