Assignment 1

Primary Task Response: Within the Discussion Board area, write 400-600 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.

Complete the following for this assignment:

• Select 1 health issue such as diabetes, cancer, aging, chronic diseases, or obesity, and describe how current health policy (federal or state) addresses this health issue.

• List the steps required to develop health policy that impacts the targeted population.

• Evaluate whether or not the health policy related to the issue selected has the potential to transform health care delivery in the United States.

• If you believe the current policy is not effective, make recommendations to improve the health policy, and support your work using credible, cited sources.

Assignment 2

Write an executive summary of a recent (within the past 2 years) article from the CTU online library related to health care policy processes that is centered on improving health care quality and outcomes. Your summary must include the following:

• Describe the health policy development process and the roles that various stakeholders have in that process associated with the article.

• Include a brief description of the key health policy issues, and evaluate the potential of these issues to transform health care delivery in the United States.

• Assess how this health care policy will impact the structure of the health care industry and the distribution of resources and services.

• It should be 1,500-2,000 words, in APA format, and with 4 quality references, 2 of which are from peer-reviewed sources.

Assignment 3

Primary Task Response: Within the Discussion Board area, write 400-600 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.

Choose a health policy issue in your workplace or community that is related to health care cost, quality, or access, and then discuss the following questions:

• What are the principal features of U.S. health policy, and what are the various stages in the policy cycle?
• What is the role of public opinion in policy making?
• What strategies and tools can be employed by various stakeholder groups?
• What is the relationship between states and the federal government in policy making?
• What has been the impact of presidential leadership on health policies?
• How and why have health reform proposals been unsuccessful in the past?

Review the information in your textbook, and use material resources on the U.S. policy process and the political environment. You may need to conduct additional research to support your analysis.

Responses to Other Students: Respond to at least 2 of your fellow classmates with at least a 100-word reply about their Primary Task Response regarding items you found to be compelling and enlightening. To help you with your discussion, please consider the following questions:

• What did you learn from your classmate's posting?
• What additional questions do you have after reading the posting?
• What clarification do you need regarding the posting?
• What differences or similarities do you see between your posting and other classmates' postings?

For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials.

ASSIGNMENT 4

15 SLIDES

Key Assignment

Many people throughout the United States face significant barriers to health care access. As policy makers and other stakeholders consider ways to address challenges related to access to care, one key area of focus involves those who lack insurance or have inadequate coverage through insurance. Submit a PowerPoint presentation of 15-20 slides in which you address the following:

• Consider the different stakeholders and perspectives impacted by health policy. How does access to insurance differ from access to care? Provide 1 specific example from your personal or professional life or from current events to support your response, and explain why this distinction is important.

• How does the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act (PPACA) of 2010 address access to insurance? What do you see as the ultimate goal of expanding insurance coverage?

• If access to insurance coverage and medical care are increased through health care reform, what unanticipated consequences might arise?

List the consequences associated with health stakeholders and perspectives.

Note: Your presentation must be formatted in APA style with 4 quality references, 2 of which are peer-reviewed sources from health care journals.