Discussion 1:  Health Policy Options

The U.S. spends more money per capita on healthcare when compared to other developed countries. Both state- and federal-level alternatives highlight access to care and cost of care. The ACA has impacted all health policy options. Review Case 5, "Key Features of the Affordable Care Act, by Year," in Chapter 5 of your textbook. Then, review alternate scholarly sources (Asford's Library or scholarly health policy journals) and discuss the following questions in a minimum of 250 words:

• Are the key issues of the law highlighted? Provide a rationale.

• What are the key changes to the implementation of the ACA over the years?

• What are some of the debates concerning the ACA? Provide scholarly research.

Discussion 2: Organizational Strategies of Adopting Health Policies

Policy adoption can be very challenging to healthcare leaders. Many organizations employ consultants to assist with the implementation of new policies. There have been significant changes to health policies over the past few years that have forced providers to institute implementation strategies, ensuring that they remain competitive and profitable. Review the "Global Medical Coverage" case (Chapter 6 ), and discuss the following questions in a minimum of 250 words:

• Does Blue Ridge Paper Products' (BRPP) policy differ from a traditional employee stock ownership plan (ESOP)? What are the implications?

• Are there any ethical concerns in the case? Why? Why not?

• Did the case present a buyer-dominant or a seller-dominant approach?

• What important lesson(s) are learned from this case study? How would you apply this to practice?