Health reform of the century

Access to affordable and high-quality health services is of paramount importance in life of society. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), otherwise known as Obamacare, is intended to improve the healthcare system in the United States.

First, it is aimed at expanding health insurance coverage to a wider American population, i.e. it is supposed to provide easier access to adequate medical services that were once predominantly available to “wealthy white males” (Mauk and Oakland 2014), who should have checked their white (cisgender) male privilege a long time ago anyway. The reform is unprecedented in its scale and caters to other Americans as well, or more precisely, discriminated and marginalized groups, such as females, non-whites, and people with pre-existing conditions. Second, the PPACA also tries to reduce insurance costs for every single person by requiring more people to take part in the system and fining those who refuse to chip in for the common good. Third, the Act ensures an extension of Medicaid eligibility to the poorest individuals, unless they are too unlucky to live in a state that does not participate in the program. Finally, low-income families are able to enjoy federal subsidies to buy their own coverage.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is thus a major milestone for the whole nation. Its implementation is, however, a long and difficult process so it is going to take some time before all of its provisions come into force throughout the country. Both proponents and opponents of the reform are trying to remain optimistic.

Aaron's Edit:
Access to affordable and high-quality health services is of paramount importance (in life) [prep;get;WF - ^to the lives] of [foc,M;det - ^the citizens in any] society. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), otherwise known as Obamacare, is intended to improve the healthcare system in the United States.

First, it is aimed at expanding health insurance coverage to a wider American population, i.e. it is supposed to provide easier access to adequate medical services that were once predominantly available to “wealthy white males” (Mauk and Oakland 2014), who should have checked their white (cisgender) male privilege a long time ago anyway.* The reform is unprecedented in its scale and caters to other Americans as well, or more precisely, discriminated and marginalized groups, such as females, non-whites, and people with pre-existing conditions. Second, the PPACA also tries to reduce insurance costs for every single person by requiring more people to take part in the system and fining those who refuse to chip in for the common good. Third, the Act ensures an extension of Medicaid eligibility to the poorest individuals, unless they are too unlucky to live in a state that does not participate in the program. Finally, low-income families are able to enjoy federal subsidies to buy their own coverage.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is thus a major milestone for the whole nation. Its implementation is, however, a long and difficult process [P - ^,] so it is going to take some time before all of its provisions come into force throughout the country. Both proponents and opponents of the reform are trying to remain optimistic.

[* Wow, Andreas, you just dropped a serious "Woke" bomb!  For those students who are unaware of what "checking one's privilege" means, here is a Guardian article on 2013's greatest contribution to political dialogue. And "cisgender(ed)," for that matter.