NUR550 Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis
NUR550 Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis
Select a current or proposed health care policy that is designed to provide equitable health care for a diverse population.
Create a 12-15-slide PowerPoint presentation discussing the health care policy and how it improves a specific population’s access to quality, cost-effective health care. Create speaker notes of 100-250 words for each slide. Include additional slides for the title and references.
DIVERSE POPULATION HEALTH POLICY ANALYSIS PPT NOTES EXAMPLE
Description of the Policy
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 represented a significant step to revamp the American healthcare system. The expansion of Medicaid, a partnership between the federal and state governments aimed at providing low-income people with health coverage, was a significant component of the ACA. The Medicaid expansion was implemented to increase eligibility for people in need and close coverage gaps (Congressional Research Service (CRS), 2021).
The Medicaid expansion enhanced the income eligibility requirements and streamlined the enrollment process to accomplish its objectives. Adults under the age of 65 with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL) (133% + a 5% income disregard) are eligible for Medicaid. These modifications made it simpler for qualified people and families to enroll in the program and obtain the required healthcare services. Starting in 2014, Medicaid expansion was implemented progressively. At the moment, Medicaid has been expanded in 38 states, including Arizona and the District of Columbia, demonstrating how widely used it is across the nation.
Population Impacted by the Policy
The Medicaid expansion under the ACA provides better access to high-quality, affordable healthcare for a variety of populations of people under 65 with annual incomes up to 138% of the FPL (133% + a 5% income disregard). By 2022, the Medicaid expansion implemented by the ACA had given coverage to 21 million Americans (healthinsurance.org, 2018). Since 2013, the number of persons enrolled in Medicaid/CHIP has climbed by 59%, or by more than 34 million people. . pregnant women, kids from low-income families, working adults with limited resources, and those with impairments. Racial and ethnic minority groups have disproportionately high rates of uninsurance before the policy’s introduction. Lin et al. (2021) observed that well-educated, employed 55–64-year-olds gained the most coverage from expansion.
Design for Cost-Effectiveness and Healthcare Equity
Lin et al. (2021) found that a major increase in Medicaid eligibility decreased the uninsured rate during the study period. The ACA’s Medicaid expansion was particularly created to improve cost-effectiveness and advance healthcare fairness for the varied population it serves. The following crucial mechanisms help the policy do this: By increasing the number of people eligible for Medicaid, more people will have access to complete health coverage, which will decrease the need for expensive ER visits for basic requirements (Lin et al., 2021). By switching from reactive to proactive and preventative care, expenditures are kept under control, and overall health outcomes are enhanced.
Medicaid expansion promotes provider collaboration and better care coordination through integrated health systems. Coordinated care eliminates medical errors, prevents duplication of services, and boosts the overall effectiveness of healthcare delivery. The emphasis on preventative care, which can spot health issues earlier and avert expensive repercussions down the road, includes screenings, immunizations, and wellness checks. The expansion assists people with ongoing medical conditions in receiving essential care, lowering long-term healthcare expenditures by prioritizing chronic illness management. The Medicaid expansion lessens the financial burden on low-income people and families, ensuring they can access essential medical care without paying a significant amount out of pocket.
Financial Soundness of the Policy
From 2014 to 2017, the expansion of Medicaid cut state Medicaid costs by 4.4% to 4.7% (Ward, 2020). Cost-sharing methods, like premiums and cost-sharing reductions, are used in the ACA’s Medicaid expansion to ensure the program can keep running. The policy gives the Medicaid expansion a lot of money from the federal government, making it easier for states to pay for and making it more likely to work in the long run (Buchmueller et al., 2020). By giving more people access to preventive care and early interventions, the policy hopes to cut down on the total costs of health care that come with treating serious and expensive health problems.
The Medicaid expansion is good for the economy because it increases spending on health care, jobs, and higher output. This helps keep the healthcare system and the economy as a whole financially stable. Less unpaid care means hospitals and clinics don’t have to spend as much money. Putting money into preventive care and early measures can save money in the long run by keeping people from needing more expensive treatments and hospital stays.
Policy Integration: Nursing Perspective and Relevant Factors
Incorporating the nursing perspective to address ethical, legal, and political issues, the Medicaid expansion under the ACA acknowledges the vital role that nursing plays in healthcare delivery. The policy recognizes nurses’ special knowledge and contributions to patient-centered care, health promotion, and illness prevention. Within the expanded Medicaid program, nurses are essential in care coordination, patient education, and guaranteeing fair access to healthcare services.
From 2014 to 2016, Medicaid expansion was linked to progressively better nurse staffing ratios in hospitals and lower readmission rates overall (Tarazi, 2020). The policy’s goal is to ensure that all members of the population have equitable access to healthcare, which is consistent with the ethical ideals of justice and beneficence. Medicaid expansion has reduced access inequities to healthcare on a dual level (Corso, 2021). Nursing professionals promote moral decision-making, equitable resource allocation, and patient autonomy.
Legal and Political Factors
Expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act improves the healthcare system’s ability to offer patient-centered, egalitarian, and sustainable care to its varied population by embracing the nursing perspective and considering ethical, legal, and political concerns.
Related Policies and Equitable Health Care: State Policies
It is very important to draw attention to Arizona’s new waiver application, which makes a number of changes to the planned CARE program. If CMS agrees, these changes will affect the people in Arizona who are on Medicaid expansion. There will be monthly premiums and co-payments, programs to encourage healthy behavior and job, and waivers for medical transportation services that aren’t for emergencies.
Also, Arizona is required by state law to ask for permission to waive work requirements, a lifetime limit on Medicaid benefits for adults who can work, and serious cost-sharing requirements. Other parts of the Medicaid program are also included in Arizona’s plan, such as changes to how care is given and payments are made (Schubel, 2019). It’s important to know that the proposal must be approved by CMS after a federal public comment time, during which stakeholders can share their thoughts and ideas about the proposed changes.
Federal Policies and Global Health Goals
It is possible that none of plans or goals will contribute to the overall goal of making high-quality, reasonably priced health care accessible to all members of society. Howevetheser, when taken as a whole, these factors create a more supportive environment, which in turn improves the accessibility, cost, and overall quality of treatment for those who were previously underserved.
Advocacy Strategies for the Diverse Population
Advocacy is essential to improve access, quality, and affordability of healthcare for the varied population that the ACA’s Medicaid expansion is intended to serve. Clearly state the qualifying requirements, enrollment procedures, and health services that are on offer. Establish a cohesive front to promote laws that defend and increase the population’s access to high-quality, affordable healthcare. Give facts and research that are supported by evidence demonstrating how the Medicaid has benefited the varied population (Guth et al., 2020).
Promote more financing for initiatives that improve health equity within the framework of Medexpansionhigh-qualityicaid expansion. Assist patients in navigating the healthcare system, understanding their insurance alternatives, and advocating for themselves to receive care. The use of advocacy techniques can result in positive change, guarantee the Medicaid expansion’s sustainability, and continuously enhance the availability of high-quality, reasonably priced healthcare for the diverse population.
Professional and Moral Obligation of Nurses
By working to promote equitable health care for all individuals, master’s prepared nurses have a professional and moral commitment to uphold human dignity and advance the common good. They campaign for equitable healthcare access, ensuring that everyone receives courteous, culturally sensitive, and person-centered care. They collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, community stakeholders, and policymakers to create and implement health-improvement policies for a varied population.
They advocate for equitable health care by influencing policy decisions, promoting evidence-based practices, and driving systemic change. They enable individuals in a varied community to make educated health decisions, promote self-care, and prevent inequities. Master’s prepared nurses contribute to the progress of equitable health care, respect human dignity, and uphold the values of social justice and the common good by embracing their professional and moral obligations.
NUR550 Diverse Population Health Policy Analysis References
Buchmueller, T. C., Cliff, B. Q., & Levy, H. (2020). The benefits of medicaid expansion. JAMA Health Forum, 1(7), e200879. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamahealthforum.2020.087
Congressional Research Service (CRS). (2021). Overview of the ACA medicaid expansion. https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF1039
Corso, D. (2021). Drawbacks and aftermath of the affordable care act: Ex-ante moral hazard and inequalities in health care access. Journal of Public Health Research, 10(4). https://doi.org/10.4081/jphr.2021.213
Guth, M., Garfield, R., & Rudowitz, R. (2020, March 17). The effects of medicaid expansion under the ACA: Updated findings from a literature review. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. https://www.kff.org/medicaid/report/the-effects-of-medicaid-expansion-under-the-aca-updated-findings-from-a-literature-review
healthinsurance.org. (2018, November 19). Medicaid expansion definition. Healthinsurance.org; healthinsurance.org. https://www.healthinsurance.org/glossary/medicaid-expansion
Lin, Y., Monnette, A., & Shi, L. (2021). Effects of medicaid expansion on poverty disparities in health insurance coverage. International Journal for Equity in Health, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-021-01486-
Rapfogel, Ni., Gee, E., & Calsyn, M. (2020, March 23). Ways the ACA has improved health care in the past decade. Center for American Progress. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/10-ways-aca-improved-health-care-past-decade
Schubel, J. (2019, January 18). Arizona should reconsider policies that will take away medicaid, increase hardship. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. https://www.cbpp.org/blog/arizona-should-reconsider-policies-that-will-take-away-medicaid-increase-hardshi
Tarazi, W. W. (2020). Associations between medicaid expansion and nurse staffing ratios and hospital readmissions. Health Services Research. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6773.1327
Ward, B. (2020, May 5). The impact of medicaid expansion on states’ budgets. The Commonwealth Fund. https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2020/may/impact-medicaid-expansion-states-budget