Effects of the Affordable Care Act on Healthcare Jobs

The ACA and You:

It’s a New Year, and this New Year especially has brought many changes to the world of healthcare. With all of the media coverage pertaining to the Affordable Care Act, it’s almost impossible to know what’s in store for the country, its citizens, and you as a healthcare worker. No one can predict the future, although everyone has an opinion. Some predict impending doom and that the healthcare field will collapse, while others are adamant the Affordable Care Act will open more jobs and the industry will see a pattern of growth. Whatever your position, it’s important to stay positive when searching for a career, and embracing the change and flexing your Affordable Care Act knowledge can likely put you ahead of the competition and impress potential employers.

It seems like a daunting task to get to know all of the laws and policy changes that are coming about in 2014, so let’s just start with some of the basics that directly affect you. How will the Affordable Care Act (ACA) affect the job market in the healthcare field?

More Insured, More Hired

The ACA requires all American citizens to be insured. More insured people mean more checkups and well-being visits to the doctor. It’s predicted that thirty million people will come out of this with insurance or better coverage than they had before, and all of these people will be looking to get in that doctors visit they’ve been postponing for too long. This may bring a flux of assistants and technicians into the offices across the country to keep up with the growing demand. Also, more doctor visits mean more prescriptions being filled. Lookout for more assistantships, pharmacy or technician positions available in the future.

More Administrative and Management Positions

Because of the growing demand for medical assistants, it’s predicted that healthcare employers will need to hire more management personnel to oversee the growing departments. It’s also predicted that the new insurance policies and the rising number of people seeking treatment will require more liaisons and administrative workers to keep up with the paperwork and phone calls. If you’ve wanted to break into a medical administrative or management position, now is the time to seek any training or certificates that will make you more hirable.

Focus on Prevention

The Affordable Care Act is designed to focus on well-being and prevention in an effort to stop a disease before it gets out of hand. Insurance plans are more likely than ever before to cover those less expensive means of prevention and early screening checkups, and wellness visits are now covered at 100% on most plans. Take note of the shift toward prevention and well-being in schools, training programs, and universities, and do all you can to bone up on healthy lifestyles and preventative medicine.

Tips For Job Seekers

Stay Positive - Potential employers want to know they’re hiring someone with a positive attitude, not someone who harps about any change in structure or policy. Keep a bright outlook on what the Affordable Care Act can mean for your future.

Bone Up - Get to know what the policy changes mean for you and your employer. If you take the initiative to be the go-to person when it comes to answering questions about the ACA, you’re likely to impress your current employer and make yourself more desirable in the field.

Be the First to Know - Keep your eyes and ears open for any opportunity or open position that comes about. Make sure your resume is ready to go and that you have at least an outline of a cover letter. Seek out recruiters to let them know you’re in the market, and stay professional and positive at all times.

Embrace the Change

Don’t let the new policies stop you dead in your tracks. If you feel yourself sinking under the weight of the changes, keep your head up and focus on the positives. Study the ACA a little bit at a time and work to understand how it affects you. If you’re looking to change jobs, talk to your recruiter about changes in the marketplace and what sort of opportunities it holds. Embrace the new year, walk tall into the unknown….