Explain the effects of the policy making process and its implementation within healthcare.
Discuss the role and impact of lobbyists, special interest groups, and other consumer advocates on the development of healthcare policies in the U.S.
Examine the role and impact of regulatory agencies in the delivery of healthcare services in the U.S.
Analyze legal concepts relative to the healthcare profession.
Evaluate the laws that govern the management of patient health information.
Analyze the impact of ethical principles applied to the allocation of health resources.
Student Success Criteria
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Scenario
The United States continues to experience challenges with respect to health reform. There is considerable agreement on the need for health reform; however, there is an appreciable divide with respect to how to best achieve reform. Discussions on strategies for reform include a repeal of current legislation (the ACA), the implementation of a universal plan, and various “fixes” to the ACA.
Many would suggest that a repeal of the current system would be most appropriate, while others support efforts to “fix” the current ACA. The health organization you work for has asked you to develop a comprehensive proposal for healthcare reform.
The U.S. expends more of its Gross Domestic Product on healthcare than any other developed nation. However, the superior amount of spending has not resulted in superior outcomes when compared to other countries. In addition to higher costs, the U.S. is the only developed country that does not offer universal health to its citizens. There has been a significant amount of discourse with respect to the pros and cons of universal coverage. Those who oppose universal coverage often refer to the Canadian, single-payer system and its challenges, such as high tax liabilities for citizens, its long wait times, and the perception of the single payer system as socialized medicine. However, those in favor of universal coverage argue that the single payer system is not socialized medicine and its costs relative to the current system in the U.S. is more cost effective. Moreover, the single payer system is only one form of universal coverage. Countries that consistently rank high in terms of positive health outcomes often employ a multi-payer universal system as opposed to a single-payer system.
