Final answer:
The term for a private health care insurer awarded a geographic jurisdiction is Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC). They administer Medicare claims within their regions. Additionally, healthcare management, including HMOs, Medicare, and policies like Obamacare, often results in complex discussions regarding the provision of health services.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term that refers to a private health care insurer awarded a geographic jurisdiction is Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC). A MAC is a private healthcare insurer that has been granted a federal government contract to administer Medicare claims and benefits within a specific geographic area. This includes processing claims, enrolling providers, and conducting audits. This system helps to streamline the process of claims and reimbursement in the Medicare program, which is a public healthcare system offering insurance primarily to people over sixty-five years old.
In contrast, Health maintenance organizations (HMOs) are a form of managed care where providers receive reimbursement based on the number of patients rather than on a fee-for-service basis. This structure aims to reduce costs and improve healthcare efficiency within private insurance markets, but it can also face challenges such as adverse selection, where individuals with greater health risks are more likely to seek insurance, potentially driving up costs for the insurer.
Healthcare policy in the United States is a complex and often debated topic, with discussions focused on whether healthcare should be managed at the state or federal level and whether national healthcare systems like the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA or Obamacare) are the right approach to meeting the health needs of the population.