Ford School faculty leading the way on Affordable Care Act discussion

October 9, 2013

Two Ford School professors, Helen Levy and Dr. Matthew Davis are using online platforms to provide clarity on the latest reform to the U.S. health care system.

On October 7, Davis, professor of medicine and public policy, launched a free online course titled "Understanding and Improving the U.S. Healthcare System" on Oct. 7 on Coursera. Through this course, Davis wants to engage learners to think about how they can play a role in improving the system at the personal level—as patients, health care providers or in other capacities.

In a new Policy Points video, Levy addresses questions about how health care reform will impact coverage provided by employers. Levy argues that the changes stemming from the ACA should not be a major cause for concern for those who rely on employers for coverage, stating:

"Five years from now we are going to have a functioning health insurance exchange system that provides a place for people to get health insurance coverage when, for whatever reason, they don't have coverage from an employer. I think those systems are going to work well, I think it is going to be a valuable option for people and I think we are going to say 'I can't ever believe it was not this way.'"