MN507 Assignment 1 Examine US Healthcare Policy Structures and the Role of the Nursing Leader as a Change Agent at the Public Policy Table
MN507 Assignment 1 Examine US Healthcare Policy Structures and the Role of the Nursing Leader as a Change Agent at the Public Policy Table
This Competency Assessment assesses the following outcome(s): MN507-1: Examine U.S. healthcare policy structures and the role of the nursing leader as a change agent at the public policy table.
Directions
You will decide on a policy issue that needs to be addressed. You may choose a policy issue that interests you. Below are suggested topics for proposed policy change, however if you wish to address another topic please contact your instructor for approval:
- Treatment of veterans after deployment and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Cost of end of life care.
- Costs of drugs in the United States as compared to other countries.
- Quarantine of health care workers that have been exposed to communicable diseases.
- Medical care for illegal immigrants.
- Right to die with euthanasia methods.
- Disclosure of medical records of pilots and other safety sensitive professionals and HIPAA violations.
- Restrictions of roles of nurse practitioners and advanced practice nurses in certain states.
- Health care reform.
- Requirements of meaningful use to meet core measures.
- ICD-10 issues.
- Entry into practice issues.
- Mandatory vaccination of children.
- Allowing nurses educated in other countries to practice in the United States.
- Faculty shortages in U.S. nursing education programs.
You will write a letter using professional business format to one of your Federal legislators outlining what the issue is and why it is important. The letter will address:
- The current policy structure.
- The need for the change.
- The suggested change.
- Cost implications if the change is implemented.
- The role the nurse as a change agent will take at the policy table.
Assignment Requirements
Before finalizing your work, you should:
- be sure to read the Assignment description carefully (as displayed above);
- consult the Grading Rubric (under the Course Resources) to make sure you have included everything necessary; and
- utilize spelling and grammar check to minimize errors.
Your writing Assignment should:
- follow the conventions of Standard English (correct grammar, punctuation, etc.);
- be well ordered, logical, and unified, as well as original and insightful;
- display superior content, organization, style, and mechanics; and
- use APA formatting and citation style.
Submit your Assignment to the Competency Assessment Dropbox.
- Save a copy of your work.
- Confirm that your Assignment file uploaded correctly.
Minimum Submission Requirements
- This Assessment should be a Microsoft Word document.
- Respond to the questions in a thorough manner, providing specific examples of concepts, topics, definitions, and other elements asked for in the questions. Your paper should be highly organized, logical, and focused.
- Your paper must be written in Standard English and demonstrate exceptional content, organization, style, and grammar and mechanics.
- Your paper should provide a clearly established and sustained viewpoint and purpose.
- Your writing should be well ordered, logical and unified, as well as original and insightful.
- A separate page at the end of your research paper should contain a list of references, in APA format. Use your textbook, the Library, and the internet for research.
- Be sure to cite both in-text and reference list citations were appropriate and reference all sources. Your sources and content should follow proper APA citation style. Review the APA formatting and citation style found in the Writing Center. (It should include a cover sheet, paper is double spaced, in Times New Roman 12-point font, correct citations, Standard English with no spelling or punctuation errors, and correct references at the bottom of the last page.)
MN507M1 Competency Assessment Rubric
If work submitted for this Competency Assessment does not meet the minimum submission requirements, it will be returned without being scored.
| CRITERIA | MET | NOT MET |
| Current Policy Structure | ||
| [Current policy structure is discussed, including any relevant historical information about the policy.] | ||
| Need for Policy Change | ||
| [Need for policy change is discussed, including specific rationale for change.] | ||
| Suggested Policy Change | ||
| [Suggested policy change is discussed, including information about the characteristics of the change that differ from the current policy structure.] | ||
| Cost Implications if Change Is Implemented | ||
| [Cost implications are discussed, including both monetary and other potential costs as applicable.] | ||
| Role of the Nurse as a Change Agent at the Policy Table | ||
| [Role of the nurse as a change agent at the policy table is discussed, including actions that the nurse can take to influence policy-makers.] | ||
| Overall # Bold Criteria Met/Not Met | ||
| [Overall # Mastery Criteria Met/Not Met] |
The criterion statements in bold are the minimum requirement to show competent performance on the course outcome; all bold criteria must be met to pass this Course Outcome.
The criterion statements in [Brackets] represent mastery achievement. A predefined number of mastery criteria must be achieved to earn an A grade, indicating mastery of the Course Outcome.
CLA and Grade Criteria Chart
| CRITERIA | CLA Score | Grade | Points |
| Meets all bold criteria and 50–100% of mastery criteria | 5 | A | 1,000 |
| Meets all bold criteria and 0–49% of mastery criteria | 4 | B | 850 |
| Meets 75–99% of bold criteria | 3 | Not yet competent (F at term end) | 0 |
| Meets 50–74% of bold criteria | 2 | Not yet competent (F at term end) | 0 |
| Meets 1–49% of bold criteria | 1 | Not yet competent (F at term end) | 0 |
| Meets no bold criteria | 0 | Not yet competent (F at term end) | 0 |
| No submission | NA | Not yet competent (F at term end) | 0 |
MN507-1: Examine U.S. healthcare policy structures and the role of the nursing leader as a change agent at the public policy table Example Paper
| [Your Name] St. Claire Medical Center Company Address Telephone Fax Email |
The Nursing Affairs Director
American Nurses Association
155 E 44th Street. New York, NY 10017
CC/BCC Block:
Change of Regulations on APRNs in the US States
Dear Sir:
This letter showcases the importance of changing the current policy frameworks regulating APRNs roles in certain states. The federal government lacks a clear framework regulating these important nursing roles (APRNs). The federal government leaves the duty to the state regulations, specifically the state board of nursing under the nursing practice act (NPA). Thus, some states such as Alaska, Arizona, and Colorado are full practice states that allow nurse practitioners to practice independently (Schorn et al., 2022). However, States such as California, Georgia, and Florida fully restrict APRN independent practice.
APRNs are important persons with advanced skills and knowledge. Their skills and expertise allow them to perform advanced roles such as diagnosing and treating conditions within their practice scope. Independent practice allows these individuals to open their clinics and hospitals, bringing these skills closer to the communities and availing advanced care (Ortiz et al., 2018). There is a need to remove the practicing restrictions to utilize their skills to ensure better patient outcomes. It is also crucial to the APRNs’ personal and professional growth.
The proposed change is developing a federal policy that lifts restrictions on APRN and APN roles. The policy will decrease the restriction on these roles and promote their independent practice. Lifting the regulations will ensure these nurses exploit all their knowledge and skills because these restrictions underutilize their expertise and training (Neprash et al., 2021). Thus, it will improve their morale and job satisfaction and promote healthier communities. Therefore, the federal government should develop a policy instructing states to lift practice restrictions on APRNs and APNs.
The costs of implementing the proposed change will be minimal. Allowing APRNs independent practice will reduce the cost of absorbing all of these professionals in hospitals, decreasing healthcare spending. In addition, it will avail specialized services to the communities, further reducing healthcare costs.
As a change agent at the policy table, the nurse plays various roles. They play the advocacy role by ensuring fairness to their profession and the patients. They assess the patients, hospital, and professionals to determine areas of need and provide carefully collected and analyzed data to support their claims (Salvage & White, 2019). They also provide data to validate or refute various policies based on their relevance and merits to the patients. They are change management agents and promote the acceptance of policies in healthcare institutions among peers and other healthcare professionals. Thus, nurses’ involvement as change agents at the policy table is integral.
Sincerely,
Name
Nursing Officer
St. Claire Medical Center
References
Neprash, H. T., Smith, L. B., Sheridan, B., Moscovice, I., Prasad, S., & Kozhimannil, K. (2021). Nurse practitioner autonomy and complexity of care in rural primary care. Medical Care Research and Review, 78(6), 684-692. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077558720945913
Ortiz, J., Hofler, R., Bushy, A., Lin, Y. L., Khanijahani, A., & Bitney, A. (2018, June). Impact of nurse practitioner practice regulations on rural population health outcomes. In Healthcare (Vol. 6, No. 2, p. 65). Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare6020065
Salvage, J., & White, J. (2019). Nursing leadership and health policy: everybody’s business. International nursing review, 66(2), 147-150.
Schorn, M. N., Myers, C., Barroso, J., Hande, K., Hudson, T., Kim, J., & Kleinpell, R. (2022). Results of a National Survey: Ongoing Barriers to APRN Practice in the United States. Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice, 15271544221076524. https://doi.org/10.1177/15271544221076524
MN507-2: Analyze Financial Models Of Reimbursement And Their Effects On Patients And Health Care Providers.
This Competency Assessment assesses the following outcome(s):
MN507-2: Analyze financial models of reimbursement and their effects on patients and health care providers.
Directions
For this Assignment, you will distinguish between Medicare and Medicaid. Your paper must include the following topics:
- Provide a brief history of both Medicare and Medicaid.
- Define the populations that they are intended to serve.
- Determine whether your state has expanded Medicaid.
- Articulate the reasons that states choose not to participate in Medicaid expansion.
- Analyze your role in your specialized area of nursing practice when interfacing with Medicare and/or Medicaid recipients.
The word count for your paper, excluding the title page and references page, will be 800–1200 words. You must include a minimum of (5) different scholarly references.
Assignment Requirements
Before finalizing your work, you should:
- be sure to read the Assignment description carefully (as displayed above);
- consult the Grading Rubric (under the Course Resources) to make sure you have included everything necessary; and
- utilize spelling and grammar check to minimize errors.
Your writing Assignment should:
- follow the conventions of Standard English (correct grammar, punctuation, etc.);
- be well ordered, logical, and unified, as well as original and insightful;
- display superior content, organization, style, and mechanics; and
- use APA formatting and citation style.
Submit your Assignment to the Competency Assessment Dropbox.
- Save a copy of your work.
- Confirm that your Assignment file uploaded correctly.
Minimum Submission Requirements
- This Assessment should be a Microsoft Word document.
- Respond to the questions in a thorough manner, providing specific examples of concepts, topics, definitions, and other elements asked for in the questions. Your paper should be highly organized, logical, and focused.
- Your paper must be written in Standard English and demonstrate exceptional content, organization, style, and grammar and mechanics.
- Your paper should provide a clearly established and sustained viewpoint and purpose.
- Your writing should be well ordered, logical and unified, as well as original and insightful.
- A separate page at the end of your research paper should contain a list of references, in APA format. Use your textbook, the Library, and the internet for research.
- Be sure to cite both in-text and reference list citations were appropriate and reference all sources. Your sources and content should follow proper APA citation style. Review the APA formatting and citation style found in the Writing Center. (It should include a cover sheet, paper is double spaced, in Times New Roman 12-point font, correct citations, Standard English with no spelling or punctuation errors, and correct references at the bottom of the last page.)
MN507M2 Competency Assessment Rubric
If work submitted for this Competency Assessment does not meet the minimum submission requirements, it will be returned without being scored.
| CRITERIA | MET | NOT MET |
| History of Medicare and Medicaid | ||
| [History of Medicare and Medicaid are discussed, including the initial need that was identified for both programs.] | ||
| Identification of Populations Served by Medicare and Medicaid | ||
| [Populations served by Medicare and Medicaid are described, specifying which specific populations are applicable to both.] | ||
| Status of Medicaid Expansion in Student’s Own State | ||
| [Status of Medicaid expansion in student’s own state is discussed, including any relevant background information for this status.] | ||
| Reasons That States Choose Not to Expand Medicaid | ||
| [Reasons that states choose not to expand Medicaid are discussed, including potential financial implications to states.] | ||
| Role of the Nurse When Interfacing With Medicare and Medicaid Patients | ||
| [Role of the nurse when interfacing with Medicare and Medicaid patients specific to the student’s specialty track is discussed.] | ||
| Overall # Bold Criteria Met/Not Met | ||
| [Overall # Mastery Criteria Met/Not Met] |
The criterion statements in bold are the minimum requirement to show competent performance on the Course Outcome; all bold criteria must be met to pass this Course Outcome.
The criterion statements in [Brackets] represent mastery achievement. A predefined number of mastery criteria must be achieved to earn an A grade, indicating mastery of the Course Outcome.
CLA and Grade Criteria Chart
| CRITERIA | CLA Score | Grade | Points |
| Meets all bold criteria and 50–100% of mastery criteria | 5 | A | 1,000 |
| Meets all bold criteria and 0–49% of mastery criteria | 4 | B | 850 |
| Meets 75–99% of bold criteria | 3 | Not yet competent (F at term end) | 0 |
| Meets 50–74% of bold criteria | 2 | Not yet competent (F at term end) | 0 |
| Meets 1–49% of bold criteria | 1 | Not yet competent (F at term end) | 0 |
| Meets no bold criteria | 0 | Not yet competent (F at term end) | 0 |
| No submission | NA | Not yet competent (F at term end) | 0 |
MN507-3: Recommend Public Policy Options To Meet The Needs Of Various Stakeholders.
This Competency Assessment assesses the following outcome(s):
MN507-3: Recommend Public Policy Options To Meet The Needs Of Various Stakeholders.
Directions:
For this Assignment, you will create a slide and audio presentation in which you will present information to support the passage of HR 5223. You may use PowerPoint, Google Slides, or another presentation software of your choosing. Your audio presentation should put forth a convincing argument based on your research and should be designed as if you were addressing a group of legislators whose support you are trying to obtain.
Your slide and audio presentation must address:
- A description of current risks that healthcare providers face from violence in the workplace.
- Information from professional nursing associations which support your argument for minimizing the risk of violence in the healthcare setting.
- Identification of a theoretical or regulatory model which would be applicable to the passage of HR 5223.
- Identification of stakeholders who will benefit from the passage of HR 5223 and how they would benefit.
- Potential barriers to passage of HR 5223 and how they can be overcome.
- Include a minimum of 8 slides (not counting the title or reference slide).
- Your slides should contain speaker notes, to assist in your audio delivery.
- Your slides should be professional in appearance and tone, and reflect a thoughtful and meaningful application of your research to your argument. Speak clearly and convincingly. Your presentation should not be longer than 10 minutes.
- You must include a minimum of (5) different scholarly references.
Assignment Requirements
Before finalizing your work, you should:
- be sure to read the Assignment description carefully (as displayed above);
- consult the Grading Rubric (under the Course Resources) to make sure you have included everything necessary; and
- utilize spelling and grammar check to minimize errors.
Your writing Assignment should:
- follow the conventions of Standard English (correct grammar, punctuation, etc.);
- be well ordered, logical, and unified, as well as original and insightful;
- display superior content, organization, style, and mechanics; and
- use APA formatting and citation style.
Minimum Submission Requirements
- This Assessment should be a Microsoft Powerpoint presentation.
- Respond to the questions in a thorough manner, providing specific examples of concepts, topics, definitions, and other elements asked for in the questions. Your presentation should be highly organized, logical, and focused.
- Your presentation must be written in Standard English and demonstrate exceptional content, organization, style, and grammar and mechanics.
- Your presentation should provide a clearly established and sustained viewpoint and purpose.
- Your writing should be well ordered, logical and unified, as well as original and insightful.
- A separate slide at the end of your presentation should contain a list of references, in APA format. Use your textbook, the Library, and the internet for research.
- Be sure to cite both in-text and reference list citations where appropriate and reference all sources. Your sources and content should follow proper APA citation style. Review the APA formatting and citation style found in the Writing Center.. (It should include a cover slide, be double spaced, in Times New Roman 12-point font, correct citations, Standard English with no spelling or punctuation errors, and correct references on the last slide.)
MN507M3 Competency Assessment Rubric
If work submitted for this Competency Assessment does not meet the minimum submission requirements, it will be returned without being scored.
| CRITERIA | MET | NOT MET |
| Current Risks That Healthcare Providers Face From Violence in the Workplace | ||
| [Current risks that healthcare providers face from violence in the workplace are discussed, including risks to personal safety and identification of high-risk areas.] | ||
| Information From Professional Nursing Associations That Support Minimizing the Risk of Workplace Violence | ||
| [Information from professional nursing associations that support minimizing the risk of workplace violence is discussed, including its relevance to HR 5223.] | ||
| Identification of a Theoretical or Regulatory Model That Would Be Applicable to the Passage of HR 5223 | ||
| [Identification of a theoretical or regulatory model that would be applicable to the passage of HR 5223 is discussed, including its specific relevance to the bill.] | ||
| Identification of Stakeholders Who Will Benefit From the Passage of HR 5223 | ||
| [Identification of stakeholders who will benefit from the passage of HR 5223 is discussed, including how the bill will be relevant to them.] | ||
| Analysis of How Stakeholders Will Benefit | ||
| [How stakeholders previously identified will benefit is discussed on both a unit and facility level.] | ||
| Potential Barriers to Passage of HR 5223 | ||
| [Potential barriers to passage of HR 5223 and their sources are discussed.] | ||
| How Barriers Can Be Overcome | ||
| [How barriers described above can be overcome is discussed, including actions that the nurse can take.] | ||
| Overall # Bold Criteria Met/Not Met | ||
| [Overall # Mastery Criteria Met/Not Met] |
The criterion statements in bold are the minimum requirement to show competent performance on the Course Outcome; all bold criteria must be met to pass this Course Outcome.
The criterion statements in [Brackets] represent mastery achievement. A predefined number of mastery criteria must be achieved to earn an A grade, indicating mastery of the Course Outcome.
CLA and Grade Criteria Chart
| CRITERIA | CLA Score | Grade | Points |
| Meets all bold criteria and 50–100% of mastery criteria | 5 | A | 1,000 |
| Meets all bold criteria and 0–49% of mastery criteria | 4 | B | 850 |
| Meets 75–99% of bold criteria | 3 | Not yet competent (F at term end) | 0 |
| Meets 50–74% of bold criteria | 2 | Not yet competent (F at term end) | 0 |
| Meets 1–49% of bold criteria | 1 | Not yet competent (F at term end) | 0 |
| Meets no bold criteria | 0 | Not yet competent (F at term end) | 0 |
| No submission | NA | Not yet competent (F at term end) | 0 |
MN507-4: Synthesize The Effect That Healthcare Reform Has On Stakeholders
MN507M4
This Competency Assessment assesses the following outcome(s):
MN507-4: Synthesize the effect that healthcare reform has on stakeholders
Directions
For this Assignment, you will examine the stakeholders impacted by the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Your paper must include the following topics:
- Differentiate between at least three groups of stakeholders impacted by the ACA.
- Examine the financial impact of the ACA on each group of stakeholders.
- Summarize benefits of the ACA on each group of stakeholders.
- Summarize drawbacks of the ACA on each group of stakeholders.
The word count for your paper, excluding the title page and references page, will be 800-1200 words. You must include a minimum of (5) different scholarly references.
Assignment Requirements
Before finalizing your work, you should:
- be sure to read the Assignment description carefully (as displayed above);
- consult the Grading Rubric (under the Course Resources) to make sure you have included everything necessary; and
- utilize spelling and grammar check to minimize errors.
Your writing Assignment should:
- follow the conventions of Standard English (correct grammar, punctuation, etc.);
- be well ordered, logical, and unified, as well as original and insightful;
- display superior content, organization, style, and mechanics; and
- use APA formatting and citation style.
Submit your Assignment to the Competency Assessment Dropbox.
- Save a copy of your work.
- Confirm that your Assignment file uploaded correctly.
Minimum Submission Requirements
- This Assessment should be a Microsoft Word document.
- Respond to the questions in a thorough manner, providing specific examples of concepts, topics, definitions, and other elements asked for in the questions. Your paper should be highly organized, logical, and focused.
- Your paper must be written in Standard English and demonstrate exceptional content, organization, style, and grammar and mechanics.
- Your paper should provide a clearly established and sustained viewpoint and purpose.
- Your writing should be well ordered, logical and unified, as well as original and insightful.
- A separate page at the end of your research paper should contain a list of references, in APA format. Use your textbook, the Library, and the internet for research.
- Be sure to cite both in-text and reference list citations were appropriate and reference all sources. Your sources and content should follow proper APA citation style. Review the APA formatting and citation style found in the Writing Center. To access the Writing Center, select this link. (It should include a cover sheet, paper is double spaced, in Times New Roman 12-point font, correct citations, Standard English with no spelling or punctuation errors, and correct references at the bottom of the last page.)
MN507M4 Competency Assessment Rubric
If work submitted for this Competency Assessment does not meet the minimum submission requirements, it will be returned without being scored.
The criterion statements in bold are the minimum requirement to show competent performance on the Course Outcome; all bold criteria must be met to pass this Course Outcome.
The criterion statements in [Brackets] represent mastery achievement. A predefined number of mastery criteria must be achieved to earn an A grade, indicating mastery of the Course Outcome.
CLA and Grade Criteria Chart
| CRITERIA | CLA Score | Grade | Points |
| Meets all bold criteria and 50–100% of mastery criteria | 5 | A | 1,000 |
| Meets all bold criteria and 0–49% of mastery criteria | 4 | B | 850 |
| Meets 75–99% of bold criteria | 3 | Not yet competent (F at term end) | 0 |
| Meets 50–74% of bold criteria | 2 | Not yet competent (F at term end) | 0 |
| Meets 1–49% of bold criteria | 1 | Not yet competent (F at term end) | 0 |
| Meets no bold criteria | 0 | Not yet competent (F at term end) | 0 |
| No submission | NA | Not yet competent (F at term end) | 0 |
Effects of a Healthcare Reform on Stakeholders Example Solution
The Accountable Care Act or the Obamacare is an act that has increased healthcare access for many US citizens and has dramatically addressed the gap in n healthcare access and healthcare coverage. The ACA is an act that was enacted in 2010 and was developed to increase access to healthcare insurance by providing subsidies to help lower premiums for individuals with low household incomes. Medicaid expansion is the primary development under the healthcare law reform. Medicaid raised the eligibility for the program to about 137% of the national poverty level and lifted restrictions on having dependents and pregnant mothers’ access to quality healthcare services (McKenna et al., 2018). The Act has various effects on different stakeholders, as shall be discussed in this essay.
Stakeholders Affected by the ACA
The Act affects stakeholders differently. The primary aim was to increase access to healthcare services because financial barriers have been for long the most significant barriers to access quality healthcare services. ACA requires input from the state and federal governments (implementers), patients (consumers/ beneficiaries), and health care providers (Consumers) (McKenna et al., 2018). The state and federal governments are the implementors of the Act. The federal government provides incentives for the acts’ implementation. The state government decides whether to implement the Act and to what extent the Act will be implemented. The healthcare institutions are the providers of healthcare services and have several stipulated roles by the ACA. The Act will impact them directly and indirectly as both implementors and consumers of the Act (McKenna et al., 2018). Patients are the primary beneficiaries of the ACT. As mentioned earlier, the Act will increase access to quality healthcare services which will considerably affect their health. The ACT has succeeded in achieving its objectives variably but has several drawbacks, as this paper will address in subsequent sections.
The Financial Impact of the ACA on Each Group Of Stakeholders
The affordable care act has had various financial implications on the state and federal governments. The first effect was increased healthcare spending because the federal and state governments share the costs implied by the ACA. At the beginning of the program, the federal government covered all costs of the coverage for the newly added individuals from the Mandatory Medicaid savings already documented, and the coverage rates have decreased gradually, leaving up to a 10% burden on the state governments (McKenna et al., 2018). The ACA presents higher spending and fiscal deficits that threaten the program’s sustainability.
The financial institutions have benefitted significantly, including reducing uncompensated healthcare costs by expanding healthcare insurance coverage and healthcare services access. The Act has reduced the financial strain on healthcare institutions by creating a shared pool of funds, allowing institutions to focus on quality and safe patient care delivery (McKenna et al., 2018).
Patients have significantly benefitted from the ACA subsidized healthcare insurance coverage. They also have access to healthcare services for premiums way lower than the usual healthcare costs. However, the Act has led to a rebound increase in taxes to cover the federal and state governments (Caswell, K. J., & Waidmann, 2019).
Benefits of the ACA n Each Group of Stakeholders
The state and federal governments have significantly benefitted from the ACA. The ACA has achieved its primary goal and objective of increasing healthcare insurance coverage. More than 17 million Americans acquired healthcare insurance through the ACA by 2016, a considerable step towards achieving the national coverage targets (Mazurenko et al., 2018). Insurance coverage has helped reduce the federal burden of diseases through their early detection and management. The effects have been reduced healthcare sending of chronic and severe conditions because they are well-managed early in their progression (Mazurenko et al., 2018).
The Act has increased access to and utilization of healthcare services to the patients. The ACA has improved access to emergency care, prescription drugs, mental health, and home care services (Tilhou et al., 2020). These services are also available at affordable costs. Individuals with underlying conditions are protected from insurance coverage discrimination hence access to quality care and better quality of life. The ACA has led to increased quality of patient healthcare services, an added advantage to the patients.
Healthcare institutions, through the ACA, receive incentives to prevent readmissions and improve post-discharge care, thus enhancing the quality of care they provide (Tilhou et al., 2020). They are also compensated depending on the perceived care quality; hence the institutions strive to provide quality care, thus, improving their care delivery processes and patient-care provider relationships. However, conflicting studies claim that the impact has been negligible and, in some instances, negative in some healthcare institutions (Young et al., 2019).
Drawbacks of the ACA on Each Group Of Stakeholders
The major drawback of the ACA to the federal and state governments is the financial implications of the ACT. The ACT has significantly affected the Act’s sustainability, and as identified earlier, the national government has been reducing its incentives, leaving the burden to the state governments. Many state governments have refused the ACA with claims of limited healthcare funding and the program’s unsustainability (McKenna et al., 2018). The high healthcare spending from the government reduces the availability of funds for other government sectors, which may hinder or deteriorate economic development.
The government derives its funding from taxes, which means that individuals are the source of healthcare funding sources. The ACA has been, on many occasions, associated with increased tax burdens to the citizens/patients. Insurance companies also raised their premiums for individuals already in their systems. The minimum essential coverage also saw more than 30million Americans lose their insurance coverage to obtain new insurance that meets the stipulated standards (Caswell & Waidmann, 2019). Thus, despite the high effectiveness of the ACA, it also had various drawbacks that still require amendment. According to Duggan et al. (2022), the Act has addressed insurance coverage but has not addressed the burden of healthcare racial disparities.
Healthcare institutions suffer low compensation, especially when the quality of care is falsely perceived as inferior. The Act has placed unnecessary pressure on healthcare institutions, and the uneven distribution of funds reduces competition and hospital staff morale (Young et al., 2019). The Act has hurt more hospitals, especially for-profit hopsitals than benefitted them in many instances. However, leveraging the current benefits can help improve healthcare institutions and coverage.
Conclusion
The affordable care act provided one of the most extensive healthcare reforms in the United States. The Act has had marked success in its initial goals and objectives, generally improving insurance coverage in the US population. The Act has various financial implications on both the providers (state and federal governments) and the beneficiaries (healthcare institutions and patients). It has both negative and positive effects on the various stakeholders. Various issues such as the sustainability of the Act are stated in debates, and balancing the outcomes to ensure mutual benefits will increase its effectiveness and program continuity. Nurses should be aware of the Act to help the patients access quality care, and institutions comply with the regulations.
References
Caswell, K. J., & Waidmann, T. A. (2019). The affordable care act Medicaid expansions and personal finance. Medical Care Research and Review, 76(5), 538-571. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077558717725164
Duggan, M., Gupta, A., & Jackson, E. (2022). The impact of the Affordable care act: evidence from California’s hospital sector. American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 14(1), 111-51. https://doi.org/110.1257/pol.20190279
Mazurenko, O., Balio, C. P., Agarwal, R., Carroll, A. E., & Menachemi, N. (2018). The effects of Medicaid expansion under the ACA: a systematic review. Health Affairs, 37(6), 944-950.https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2017.1491
McKenna, R. M., Langellier, B. A., Alcalá, H. E., Roby, D. H., Grande, D. T., & Ortega, A. N. (2018). The Affordable Care Act attenuates financial strain according to poverty level. INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 55, 0046958018790164. https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0046958018790164
Tilhou, A. S., Huguet, N., DeVoe, J., & Angier, H. (2020). The Affordable care act Medicaid expansion positively impacted community health centers and their patients. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 35(4), 1292-1295. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-019-05571-w
Young, G. J., Flaherty, S., Zepeda, E. D., Singh, S., & Rosenbaum, S. (2019). Impact of ACA Medicaid expansion on hospitals’ financial status. Journal of Healthcare Management, 64(2), 91-102. https://doi.org/10.1097/JHM-D-17-00177
MN507-5: Evaluate The Role Of Health Policy And Organizational Structure On Quality Improvement Within Health Care Environments.
MN507-5: Evaluate the role of health policy and organizational structure on quality improvement within health care environments.
Directions
For this Assignment, you will write a position paper in which you will choose and support a policy change which reinforces the role of the nurse as a leader in ensuring access to quality health care in developed and underdeveloped countries. You should approach this assignment from the perspective of your specialty track. Information which may be helpful in selecting a proposed policy change can be found in your textbook Health Policy and Politics: A Nurse’s Guide The word count for your position paper will be 1000 to 1600 words. You must support your work with at least eight scholarly peer reviewed articles. Your paper must include the following topics:
- Current nursing issues related to globalization of healthcare
- The proposed policy change
- Agenda setting strategies (Process by which your proposal will gain attention of stakeholders and/or the public)
- A model or theory that can be used to bring about the change
- Design strategies
- Implementation strategies
- Evaluation strategies
- Conclusion
Assignment Requirements
Before finalizing your work, you should:
- be sure to read the Assignment description carefully (as displayed above);
- consult the Grading Rubric (under the Course Resources) to make sure you have included everything necessary; and
- utilize spelling and grammar check to minimize errors.
Your writing Assignment should:
- follow the conventions of Standard English (correct grammar, punctuation, etc.);
- be well ordered, logical, and unified, as well as original and insightful;
- display superior content, organization, style, and mechanics; and
- use APA formatting and citation style.
Minimum Submission Requirements
- This Assessment should be a Microsoft Word document.
- Respond to the questions in a thorough manner, providing specific examples of concepts, topics, definitions, and other elements asked for in the questions. Your paper should be highly organized, logical, and focused.
- Your paper must be written in Standard English and demonstrate exceptional content, organization, style, and grammar and mechanics.
- Your paper should provide a clearly established and sustained viewpoint and purpose.
- Your writing should be well ordered, logical and unified, as well as original and insightful.
- A separate page at the end of your research paper should contain a list of references, in APA format. Use your textbook, the Library, and the internet for research.
- Be sure to cite both in-text and reference list citations were appropriate and reference all sources. Your sources and content should follow proper APA citation style. Review the APA formatting and citation style found in the Writing Center.. (It should include a cover sheet, paper is double spaced, in Times New Roman 12-point font, correct citations, Standard English with no spelling or punctuation errors, and correct references at the bottom of the last page.)
MN507M5 Competency Assessment Rubric
If work submitted for this Competency Assessment does not meet the minimum submission requirements, it will be returned without being scored.
| CRITERIA | MET | NOT MET |
| Current Nursing Issues Related to Globalization of Healthcare | ||
| [Current nursing issues are discussed, including specific examples related to globalization of health care.] | ||
| Proposed Policy Change | ||
| [The proposed policy change is described, including rationale for this policy change.] | ||
| Agenda-Setting Strategies | ||
| [Agenda-setting strategies are discussed, including the process by which the proposed policy change will gain attention of relevant parties such as stakeholders.] | ||
| Model or Theory That Can Be Used to Bring About the Change | ||
| [A model or theory that can be used to bring about the change and how the model or theory is relevant are discussed.] | ||
| Design Strategies | ||
| [Design strategies are discussed, including the method used to determine the format in which the change will be presented.] | ||
| Implementation Strategies | ||
| [Implementation strategies are discussed, including potential time frame(s).] | ||
| Evaluation Strategies | ||
| [Evaluation strategies are discussed, including method and frequency of evaluation.] | ||
| Overall # Bold Criteria Met/Not Met | ||
| [Overall # Mastery Criteria Met/Not Met] |
The criterion statements in bold are the minimum requirement to show competent performance on the Course Outcome; all bold criteria must be met to pass this Course Outcome.
The criterion statements in [Brackets] represent mastery achievement. A predefined number of mastery criteria must be achieved to earn an A grade, indicating mastery of the Course Outcome.
CLA and Grade Criteria Chart
| CRITERIA | CLA Score | Grade | Points |
| Meets all bold criteria and 50–100% of mastery criteria | 5 | A | 1,000 |
| Meets all bold criteria and 0–49% of mastery criteria | 4 | B | 850 |
| Meets 75–99% of bold criteria | 3 | Not yet competent (F at term end) | 0 |
| Meets 50–74% of bold criteria | 2 | Not yet competent (F at term end) | 0 |
| Meets 1–49% of bold criteria | 1 | Not yet competent (F at term end) | 0 |
| Meets no bold criteria | 0 | Not yet competent (F at term end) | 0 |
| No submission | NA | Not yet competent (F at term end) | 0 |
