Running head: AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

Affordable Care Act

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AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

Facts (Some facts about Affordable Care Act)

1.

Affordable Care Act is one of the most large-scale projects in US history since the middle

1960s.
The reform began to be implemented in the real life in 2010 at the initiative of the President
Barack Obama and until the current day, it is considered to be the main achievement of his
presidency. It is sometimes called as Obama Care or Obama Act. The name Affordable Care
Act is used to refer to the final, amended version of the law.
2.

Affordable Care Act is the comprehensive health care reform.

It was firstly adopted in 2010 with the objective of changing the medical and insurance system in
the United States of America. The reasons of it were different: the inequality between different
social classes, the discrimination of the absence of insurance, the high prices of medical and
insurance services.
3.

This act dramatically changed the amount of people who have insurance.

From October 2013 to June 2014, according to various estimates, the number of adult Americans
who have health insurance, increased by 10.8 million. Moreover, according to this act, everyone
is obliged to have the insurance, but many convenient ways were provided. (HealthCare.gov,
2016)
Applying the Perspectives (How a functionalist, conflict theorist, and interactionist would
explain the Affordable Care Act.)

AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

Conflict theorists are the one who seek to challenge the status quo. Their objective is to
encourage different social changes through reforms or revolution. It is obvious, that these group
would rather support this act.
On the contrary, functionalism sees dramatic social changes as unacceptable because the various
parts of society will compensate. For these reasons, functionalists are likely to be against this act.
As we know, interactionists would be more concerned about the interactions between people on
the micro level. That means that this reform would be unacceptable for them, because it leads to
different conflict and not easy social changes. (Cliffsnotes.com, 2016)
Personal Beliefs
This act was the reason of many political disagreements in the Unites States of America.
As for me, there is no possible change without a conflict and it is natural. Moreover, this act
promoted medical and insurance equality on a grander scale in the U.S. and gives a good
example for the development for the other countries.

Sociological Imagination (how being part of different social groups affects my thoughts on
ACA)
Judging by the opinion written before, I have several reasons to have a positive opinion on the
ACA. I can examine it through sociological imagination way.
1)

According to my social class, I am accustomed not to confront with problems connected

to the discrimination and inequality.

AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

2)

Judging by my political affiliation, I have a strong feeling of necessity of changes and

reforms, not only in the USA, but also in all around the world. That is why I fully support any
political act.
3)

As the religion is not only part of my everyday thinking, but also is a cultural and moral

part of my consciousness, I am fully concerned about the inequality. That is why I support any
activity connected to the medical equality.
Research Process
We can study peoples opinion about the ACA by different ways:
1) Direct observation: we can observe peoples opinion on it through national elections, activity
in taking part of this program, results of the program.
2) Analysis of documents: we can observe statistics and different databases.
3) Polls (such as interview or questionnaire) can be held as a direct mail, street dialogues, and
polls at the university or workspaces. (Witt, 2014)

AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

References
Cliffsnotes.com, (2016). Three Major Perspectives in Sociology. [online] Available at:
http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/sociology/the-sociological-perspective/three-majorperspectives-in-sociology [Accessed 26 Jan. 2016].
HealthCare.gov, (2016). Get 2016 health coverage. Health Insurance Marketplace.
[online] Available at: https://www.healthcare.gov [Accessed 26 Jan. 2016].
Witt, J. (2014) SOC