Health care in the United States is driven by a patchwork of services and financing. Americans access healthcare services in a variety of ways: from private doctors' offices, to public hospitals, to safety-net providers. This diverse network of healthcare providers is supported by an equally diverse set of funding streams. The United States spends nearly twice as much on health care as any other country, exceeding $2 trillion each year. (WHO.INT 2000) However, even with overall expenditures amounting to more than $7,400 per person, millions of individuals cannot access the health services they need. (Foundation 2009) So when the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (also known as the Affordable Care Act or ACA) passed in the summer of 2010. It was the perfect time for this to be my first course in the MMI program . The goal of the course was to provide students with a deeper understanding of how Americans access care. It was therefore appropriate that a significant part of the course focused on how access to care would change once the law came into force. To understand the origins of the legislation, the course began with an examination of Americans' health behaviors. In the first discussion board post, the class was asked whether or not the federal government should take steps to change health behaviors in the United States. My agreement included government involvement with a specific criterion. As long as health education was provided to citizens in an unbiased manner, I was a full supporter. As discussed in the opening sessions, research has shown that preventive health care services focus on positive health behavior changes (healthier diets and increased physical activity... half of the paper... d health-based reimbursement systems quality and strengthens protection against fraud and abuse. Establishing quality measures will not only increase patient access, but will also create the perfect mechanism that will ensure that patients receive care focused on evidence and best practices Overall , MMI 401 was the best way to start my project. Understanding how technology will improve access and quality of healthcare, it is important to understand the challenges that the system is currently facing CitedFoundation, K.F. (2009). Retrieved January 22, 2011, from http://www.kff.org/insurance/upload/7670_02.pdf.WHO.INT (2000). ". http://www.who.int/whr/2000/media_centre/press_release/en/.