Certified Healthcare Technology Specialist (CHTS) Process Workflow & Information Management Redesign Practice Exam

What is the primary focus of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed on March 23, 2010?

1. Reduction of healthcare provider costs

2. Access to affordable healthcare for ALL

3. Expansion of telemedicine services

4. Increase in healthcare personnel training

The correct answer is: Access to affordable healthcare for ALL

The primary focus of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), signed into law on March 23, 2010, is to ensure access to affordable healthcare for all individuals. The law was designed to reduce the number of uninsured individuals in the United States by expanding Medicaid eligibility, establishing health insurance marketplaces, and providing subsidies for low-income families to purchase insurance. The ACA aimed to improve the overall accessibility of healthcare services, which includes provisions for essential health benefits and increased consumer protections against discrimination based on pre-existing conditions. This emphasis on access reflects a broader goal to reform the healthcare system to better serve all segments of the population, making it a clear priority of the law. By focusing on making healthcare more available and affordable, the ACA sought to address significant gaps in coverage that left millions without necessary health services. Other options, while they touch on important aspects of healthcare, do not encapsulate the core mission of the ACA. While reducing provider costs could be a consequence of broader reforms, it is not the central theme of the legislation. Expansion of telemedicine services and increasing healthcare personnel training are important in their own rights but are not the primary objectives of the ACA, which is firmly rooted in enhancing access to affordable coverage for everyone.