1. Affordable Care Act (ACA): Introduced in 2010, the ACA aimed to increase access to healthcare by expanding Medicaid, implementing health insurance marketplaces, and prohibiting discrimination against pre-existing conditions.
2. Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA): MACRA, enacted in 2015, introduced the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and encouraged the transition to value-based care, focusing on quality and patient outcomes.
3. Electronic Health Records (EHR) Adoption: The widespread implementation of EHRs has improved patient outcomes by enhancing care coordination, reducing medical errors, and enabling the sharing of patient information across healthcare settings.
4. Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA): This act, passed in 2008, aimed to ensure health insurance coverage for mental health and substance use disorders on par with coverage for medical and surgical care, thus improving access to mental healthcare.
5. Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program: Implemented as part of the ACA, this program penalizes hospitals with high rates of readmissions within 30 days of discharge, encouraging improved post-discharge care coordination and reducing unnecessary hospital readmissions.
6. Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs): ACOs are networks of healthcare providers that coordinate care for a defined population. By promoting collaboration and accountability, ACOs aim to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.
7. Prescription Drug Pricing Transparency: Various reforms have focused on increasing transparency in prescription drug pricing, aiming to lower drug costs, improve patient access, and ensure affordability of medications for better health outcomes.
8. Telehealth Expansion: The COVID-19 pandemic boosted the adoption of telehealth services, improving patient outcomes by increasing access to healthcare, reducing barriers to care, and providing remote monitoring and management of chronic conditions.
9. Quality Payment Programs: Programs such as the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program and the Physician Quality Reporting System (now replaced by MIPS) incentivize healthcare providers to deliver high-quality care, leading to improved patient outcomes.
10. Biosimilar Approvals: The approval of biosimilar drugs, which are more affordable versions of expensive biologic drugs, has improved patient outcomes by increasing access to life-saving medications and reducing medication costs.
