The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990, or OBRA for short, was a major law passed by the U.S. Congress in 1990. It was designed to reduce the federal deficit and modify programs that aid in providing health coverage. The passage of OBRA was one of the first major steps towards health care reform in the United States.
What Does OBRA cover?
OBRA includes provisions that cover a wide range of topics related to health care. In particular, it amended many parts of the Social Security Act, including the Medicaid program. It also established the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), a program that provides coverage for low-income children who are otherwise ineligible for Medicaid. Other important parts of OBRA include requirements for hospitals to report discharge data on Medicare patients, cost-containment measures to reduce fraud and abuse in the health care system, and expansions of access to prescription drugs and mental health services.
The Impact of OBRA
OBRA has had a major impact on the health care system in the United States. It ushered in many changes that have shaped the system that we now have today. One of the most significant changes is the expansion of health coverage to millions of low-income and disabled Americans, which has helped to reduce health disparities in disadvantaged populations. Additionally, OBRA established a number of cost-saving measures that have helped to keep health care costs down. These include rules that require hospitals to report quality measures and measures that prevent fraud and abuse in the system.
Conclusion
The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990, or OBRA, is a major health care law that has had a significant impact on the health care system in the United States. It has provided improved access to care for millions of Americans who would otherwise have gone without and also implemented a number of cost-saving measures to help reduce unnecessary costs in the system. Overall, OBRA has had a positive impact on the quality of our health care system.