With coinciding concerns about health care costs and the imperative to improve quality of care, health care providers and others face difficult decisions in the effort to achieve an appropriate balance. Such decisions often are addressed in the policy arena. How do policymakers evaluate which health care services should be financed through government programs? How do ethics-related questions and other considerations play into this evaluation process? Is it possible to contain costs and provide accessible, high-quality care to all, or is the tension between cost and care inherent in the U.S. health care delivery system? These questions are central to health care financing decisions in the United States.

For this Discussion, you will focus on the policy decision-making process that determines what types of care are covered by public and private insurers and the ethical aspects of such financial decisions.

To prepare:

Read the case study “Economic Impact of States Declining Medicaid Expansion”  page 190 of the Milstead text( BOOK :HEALTH POLICY AND POLITIC ATTACHED BELLOW) .

Review the information in the Washington Post article “Review of Prostate Cancer Drugs Provenge Renews Medical Cost-Benefit Debate” in the Learning Resources. ( DOCUMENT ATTACHED BELLOW)

Consider how policy decisions currently are made about what will and will not be paid for and what changes, if any, could improve the process.

Reflect on how the Washington Post example illustrates the tension between cost and care.

Post your analysis and assessment of the ethical and economic challenges related to policy decisions such as those presented in the Washington Post article. 

How does this type of situation contribute to the tension between cost and care? Substantiate your response with at least two outside resources. 

CHECK THE MEDIA PRESENTATION ATTACHED BELLOW

Select a health care organization in your community to conduct an interview with an appropriate risk management employee. The organization can be your current employer, or a different health care facility in your community. Acute care, urgent care, assisted living facilities, and community/public health clinical facilities are all ideal options to complete the requirements of this assignment. (MUST BE WITHIN MARYLAND).

Make sure to select an individual who can provide sufficient information regarding how that organization manages risk within its facility to answer the questions below.

In your interview, address the following:

1. Identification of the challenges the organization faces in controlling infectious diseases.
2. Risk management strategies used in the organization’s infection control program, along with specific      examples.
3. How the facility’s educational risk management program addresses key professional issues, such as prevention of negligence, malpractice litigation, and vicarious liability.
4. Policies the facility has  implemented that address managing emergency triage in high-risk areas of health care service delivery.
5. Strategies the facility utilizes to monitor and maintain its risk management program.

Post-interview, compose a 1,000 word summary analysis of the interview to include the questions above as well as the following elements:

1. A brief assessment of the organization’s risk management program, including what works well and what      could work better (the pros and cons).
2. Action steps you would take to improve the program. Select one area and provide your rationale and possible steps required to implement your suggestion.

Cite appropriate references as needed to support your statements and rationale. MINIMUM OF 3 REFERENCES

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide.

CHECK PLAGIARISM PLEASE