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Weekly Overview     Week Six   Overview   Health policy proposals and reform intiatives have an extensive impact

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Week Six

 

 

Health policy proposals and reform intiatives have an extensive impact. One small initiative often results in a ripple effect and can produce unintended consequences. Health care leaders must analyze the impact of health policies and create a strategic response to these policies. Analysis should consider the impact of health reform on stakeholders and their access to care, the impact on providers, and the response of other groups such as the pharmaceutical industry, medical and device providers, and insurers.

 

As the Affordable Care Act is implemented and the US debates ethical issues, policy will continue to change. Healthcare leaders must understand the policy process in order to influence it, and they must consider the trends that will impact health care delivery and future policy in order to lead strategically in an ever-changing environment.

 

 

1. 1. Policy Analysis and Trends
      1. Analyze the effect of current health policy on the health care environment.
         1. How will health reform affect stakeholders?
            1. Patients
               1. Access to care
               2. Cost of care
               3. Quality of care
            2. Providers
               1. Shortage of health professionals
               2. Number of health care organizations across the US
               3. Private vs. public institutions
               4. For-profit vs. not-for-profit institutions
            3. Other Groups
               1. Pharmaceutical industry
               2. Insurance industry
               3. Medical device and equipment providers
         2. Payment Structures
            1. How do payment structures incentivize care?
               1. Accountable Care Organizations
               2. Pay for Performance
            2. Focus on eliminating fraud
         3. Role of private and public health insurance
            1. PPACA expands the role of private insurance through the Individual Mandate requirement
            2. How will the expansion of Medicaid affect the health care environment?
         4. Trends affecting health care delivery
            1. Impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Act on the availability and cost of health care
            2. Aging population and demand of large segment of baby boomers on the health care system
            3. Impact and treatment of chronic disease
            4. Growth in technological advances in health care delivery
            5. Continued shift to ambulatory care
            6. Continued growth of integrated systems
            7. Shortage in health care workers
            8. Growing costs of emergency services and special diagnostics, precision medicine, research and development, and cancer treatments
            1. Funding approaches for Medicaid and Medicare
      2. Analyze trends that drive change in health policy.
         1. Public debate and public perspectives affect the policy agenda, elections, and policy
         2. Political parties in office affect ability to pass policies or maintain policies
         3. The economy and funding availability affect policy proposals
         4. Implementation of policies and the development of regulations create change
         5. Evaluation of outcomes may result in new policy proposals or policy modification
      3. Predict future changes to health policy.
         1. Universal health insurance/national insurance proposals
         2. Efforts to sustain the Medicare program
         3. Efforts to address disparities in health care delivery
         4. Financing for long term care in an aging population
         5. Response to rising costs
         6. Attempts to increase access to care and expand coverage