The policies major role is to focus in the issue and provide an effective alternative which will help if needed to resolve any problems successfully. This paper will focus its attention on the evaluation, analysis, and revision stages of the policy process for uninsured children. There evaluation stage will explain exactly who is responsible for the policy. The analysis stage will explain the social, economic and political impact on the policy. Lastly, the revision stage will provide how and when things were revised.
Define the evaluation stage:
“Evaluation is an appropriate stage after the policy implementation as it is effective to evaluate the policy effectiveness in terms of accomplishing policy objectives” (Andersen, Fagerhaug & Beltz
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When it comes to the health care policy analysis it is a multi-disciplinary method that is used to evaluate public policy that helps to define the interaction that may be between institutions and different interests in the process of the policy. This specific stage helps grasp the concept of any past failures and successes that were used to build a plan for the policy in the future. There are a couple of analysis stages that coincide with helping with building a plan to correct the downfall of uninsured children. According to Carl Patton there are six steps in completing policy analysis. These steps are as followed: “Verify, define, and detail the problem, establish evaluation criteria, identify alternative policies, evaluate alternative policies, Display and distinguish among alternative policies., Monitoring the implemented policy” (Patton, 2011). To establish any coverage, the steps would be as followed: it will begin when stakeholders will determine the number of individuals without insurance, then address the criteria needed to evaluate the policy on how it will be established. Then, any alternative policies will be brought upon to see if these would be beneficial. The next stage would be to have all the policies that were mentioned then be compared to see which would be best in providing the best coverage for those without coverage. “Policy analysis focuses on the political costs and benefits of healthcare policy reform” (Harrington & Estes, 2004). The policy makers then make their decisions based on the following factors that could contribute to meeting the policy objectives. These objectives consist of; pressure or support from international health agencies. The potential effects of the reform policy on the political relationship within the government groups and
The intent is to create a healthcare system where health insurance coverage is available to everyone. Coverage is through a joint effort of the government, employers, and individuals. A disparity in coverage often occurs within vulnerable populations. This includes children, unemployed and retired individuals, along with their families. They are more likely to have limited access to healthcare while having an increased need for medical services.
One of the most controversial topics in the United States in recent years has been the route which should be undertaken in overhauling the healthcare system for the millions of Americans who are currently uninsured. It is important to note that the goal of the Affordable Care Act is to make healthcare affordable; it provides low-cost, government-subsidized insurance options through the State Health Insurance Marketplace (Amadeo 1). Our current president, Barack Obama, made it one of his goals to bring healthcare to all Americans through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. This plan, which has been termed “Obamacare”, has come under scrutiny from many Americans, but has also received a large amount of support in turn for a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons include a decrease in insurance discrimination on the basis of health or gender and affordable healthcare coverage for the millions of uninsured. The opposition to this act has cited increased costs and debt accumulation, a reduction in employer healthcare coverage options, as well as a penalization of those already using private healthcare insurance.
Agenda setting is the process that determines appropriate solutions to a certain problem of a given field (Kingdon, 3). The process itself consists of three streams: problems, policies, and politics (Kingdon, 16). These separate streams interact when windows of opportunity are open – solutions are fitted with problems, and the impetus for this relationship is amenable political forces (Kingdon, 20). Prominent agendas are determined by the problem or political streams, while solutions are crafted in in the policy stream (Kingdon, 20). In the field of health care, the agenda setting is based upon the high number of uninsured citizens, the rising cost of medical care, the development of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) in response to this issue, and the key players that debate whether governmental involvement is the correct approach in the issue of universal healthcare.
Longest Jr., B.B (2009) Health Policy making in the United States (5th Edition). Chicago, IL: HAP/AUPHA.
Health Insurance is essential to Personal Well Being and your Health. For a large proportion of uninsured people, health insurance can and most often a matter of choice. Uninsured Americans normally tend to delay and even go without doctors' visits, prescription medications, and other effective treatments, even if they know they have serious or a life-threatening condition. (Institute 2009). 20 to 30 percent of uninsured children are more likely to need certain shots, prescription medications, asthma care ,basic dental care and other things that we would consider a must have. Uninsured children with conditions requiring ongoing medical attention are 6 to 8 times more likely to have health care needs and can’t get the required tools and medicine that they need. Uninsured children are also more likely than insured children to miss school due to health problems and to experience preventable hospitalizations. (Institute 2009)Many of these children are classified as being the minority out of the 20 to 30 percent of children about 15 percent are minorities (H.
In developing a policy people need to recognize a problem, the concern can be of natural disaster, unsafe workplace, or the cost of medical insurance; all these function as distressers to people. To take control of the problem, the society needs to recognize that the government can and should attain to the problem and solve the public’s concern (N.A., 2015). The policymaking process starts off with Policy Formulation Phase which consists of the critical first step in policymaking which is Agenda setting; this process describes the steps by which particular problems, possible solutions and political circumstances emerge (Longest, 2010). The problems as previously stated are society concerns of natural disaster, unsafe workplace, and the cost of medical insurance, to name a few. As a society initiates a problem, there should be a possible solution or alternative solutions to move the processes into Political Circumstances. In the process of a problem and a solution being finalized, it will not be sufficient en...
Since the initiation of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, Americans have been put back in charge of their individual health care. Under this new law, a health insurance marketplace provides a haven for individuals without insurance to gain coverage. Just this year, citizens found out early whether they qualified for Medicare or the CHIP formally known as the Children’s Health Insurance Program. So much is to be learned about the Affordable Care act and this paper provides the roles of the different governmental branches, along with other important factors associated with this law.
The healthcare reform debate has been politicized in the United States for many years where there have been deliberate efforts by various stakeholders to ensure that they push for the reforms that are in line with the cost-benefit aspects that they have already envisioned. In this paper, I will attempt to prove that the reforms that have been witnessed in the healthcare in the recent years have not been effective and helpful to the society as a whole. When President Obama came into office, he promised to oversee great reforms in the healthcare which is his government he face much priority in the social policy aspects. The congress managed to pass the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).
For making a comprehensive healthcare reform to work it is necessary to spread the cost of those with high medical needs which can be easily done by mandating the health insurance. A good example of this can be understood by individual mandate done in Massachusetts where it has been very effective and only 2.6 5 of the population is left uninsured.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act passed by President Barack Obama is a significant change of the American healthcare system since insurance plans programs like Medicare and Medicaid (“Introduction to”). As a result, “It is also one of the most hotly contested, publicly maligned, and politically divisive pieces of legislation the country has ever seen” (“Introduction to”). The Affordable Care Act should be changed because it grants the government too much control over the citizen’s healthcare or the lack of individual freedom to choose affordable health insurance.
According to the ABC News and Washington Post cooperative poll, 57 percent of Americans aren’t satisfied with the overall system of health care (Langer, 2009). Consequently, the issue of the Health Care Reform was born, but before analyzing the actual aspects of this reform it will be wise to brush up on those major attitudes and concerns which occupy ordinary people and how they respond to the unfolding changes in the area of health care and social security. More than half of the American population is convinced that the Health Care Reform is necessary and it must be carried out by the government. Hence, the government plays a huge role in the health care transformation as it provides the nation with the health care plans and outlines other possibilities for medical coverage like the health insurance exchange. President Obama suggests his own plan of stability and security for all Americans.
A country’s health care system refers to all the institutions, programs, personnel, procedures, and the resources that are used to meet the health needs of its population. Health care systems vary from one country to another, depending on government policies and the health needs of the population. Besides, health care programs are flexible in the sense that they are tailored to meet health needs as they arise. Among the stakeholders in the formulation of a country’s health care system are governments, religious groups, non-governmental organizations, charity organizations, trade/labor unions, and interested individuals (Duckett, 2008). These entities formulate, implement, evaluate, and reform health services according to the needs of the sections of the population they target.
...d it would do and if it is reaching the goals that were set. There are two types of evaluations process and impact. Process evaluations are “those evaluations that look to see if an agency is meeting the mandate set forth by Congress”. Impact evaluations “consist of studies conducted on the effect that congressional policies have actually had on a specific problem”.
Health care policy targets the organization, financing, and delivery of health care services. The reason for targeting these areas is for the licensing of health care professionals and facilities, to make sure there is protection of patients’ private health information, and there are measures of quality care, mistakes, malpractice, and efforts to control of health care cost (Acuff, 2010). There are several stages that one must take when creating a policy (see figure 1). The figure below shows the critical steps in the policy process. First, the problem must be identified, once the problem is identified potential policy solutions must be formulated, then the policy is adopted, and then implemented. After the policy is in place, an evaluation of the policy has to take place (This Nation, 2013).
“Political context includes aspects such as the distribution of power, the range of organizations involved and their interests, and the formal and informal rules that govern the interactions among different players. Political context shapes the way in which policy processes work” (Nash, R., Hudson, A., and Luttrell, C., 2006). It is important to understand the political context in which a social policy issue is embedded. When I think of context, I think of action. An advocate that is trying to influence policy would be concerned about political contexts because it would determine the likelihood, suitability, and capabilities of his/her behavior (action) and conduct while seeking to institute change. By understanding the political context in which a social policy issue is embedded, one’s strategy and approach can be outlined to understand the manner in which changes can be made. Progress can be slow without understanding the political context. An advocate may understand what needs to be changed but may not understand why the change did not occur. The advocate may also be able to institute change in social policy issues if the advocate has a great understanding of the political context. The advocate must be able to align himself/herself with those that can be recruited to change the context of a policy. The advocate can also determine the severity of instituting the change and the probability of getting the change. “The appropriate level of action and type of advocacy strategy will depend on the political, social and economic situation prevailing at a given point in time” (Rietbergen,-McCracken, J., n.d.).