Assessing a Healthcare Program Assignment Paper
Assessing a Healthcare Program Assignment Paper
Assessing a Healthcare Program Assignment Paper
Healthcare Program/Policy Evaluation Analysis Template
Use this document to complete the Module 5 Assessment Assessing a Healthcare Program/Policy Evaluation.
| Healthcare Program/Policy Evaluation |
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) |
| Description | The goals of the ACA were to lower costs, raise standards, and guarantee coverage for all Americans. Significant changes have been made to healthcare coverage in the United States as a result of the ACA. The number of people without health insurance has dropped from 16% in 2010 to 9.2% in 2019, per data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (Campbell, 2020). The ACA also provided subsidies for people to buy insurance on the marketplace, allowing children to stay on their parents’ health plans until age 26, and extended Medicaid for low-income families. About 20 million people have gained health insurance as a direct result of these actions. |
| How was the success of the program or policy measured?
|
There are a number of indicators that show the ACA is working as intended. The number of formerly uninsured people who are now covered by health plans has been the primary indicator. The preceding data from the CDC demonstrates the ACA’s success in this regard. The Affordable Care Act has also been studied for its effects on healthcare costs, service quality, and patient outcomes. |
| How many people were reached by the program or policy selected? How much of an impact was realized with the program or policy selected?
|
The Affordable Care Act has had a profound effect. Preventive treatment is more widely available because of the Affordable Care Act, and healthcare spending growth rates are decreasing (Steenland et al., 2019). The number of people who reported problems with cost-related access and the number of people who postponed care because of cost have both decreased, as reported by the Commonwealth Fund. In addition, the ACA has helped lower rates of both hospital- and community-acquired infections and readmissions. |
| At what point in program implementation was the program or policy evaluation conducted? | There have been numerous assessments of the ACA at various points in its rollout. In 2015, the Department of Health and Human Services published a report on the effects of the Affordable Care Act (Campbell, 2020). In addition, other studies have been performed to assess various parts of the ACA, including the Marketplace and Medicaid expansion. |
| What data was used to conduct the program or policy evaluation?
|
Health spending data, healthcare quality data, and health outcome data were all analyzed in order to form an opinion on the Affordable Care Act. In addition, surveys were distributed to obtain information about patients’ healthcare encounters and health plans. |
| What specific information on unintended consequences was identified? | It has become clear that the ACA will have a number of undesirable side effects. Insurance premium increases for certain people were a major unanticipated consequence. Because of the ACA’s employer mandate, several companies have cut back on employee hours to save money on health insurance. |
| What stakeholders were identified in the evaluation of the program or policy? Who would benefit most from the results and reporting of the program or policy evaluation? Be specific and provide examples. |
Patients, healthcare providers, insurance companies, and the government are all named as stakeholders in the assessment of the ACA. The Affordable Care Act has been most beneficial to patients and healthcare providers by expanding coverage and lowering out-of-pocket expenditures. As a result of the ACA, insurance firms now have more customers to whom they can offer coverage. Finally, the government has profited from the Affordable Care Act’s effect of slowing the rate of increase in healthcare costs.
|
| Did the program or policy meet the original intent and objectives? Why or why not?
|
Some of the objectives of the ACA appear to have been met, according to the available evidence. For instance, the uninsured rate in the US has declined since the ACA was enacted, and people with pre-existing diseases now have more options for obtaining health insurance (Glied et al., 2020). However, there have been problems with the ACA’s cost control and affordability, and some people have had their healthcare coverage or access to care interrupted. |
| Would you recommend implementing this program or policy in your place of work? Why or why not?
|
Whether or not the Affordable Care Act should be recommended for implementation in a given workplace is determined by a number of criteria, including the unique requirements of that business and its workforce. It is possible that some organizations will discover that the ACA’s features work effectively for their employees, while others will choose to look elsewhere for healthcare coverage (Buchmueller & Levy, 2020). In my opinion, I recommend this policy because it provides coverage to many people who were previously uninsured or underinsured. This can lead to better health outcomes and lower healthcare expenditures. |
| Identify at least two ways that you, as a nurse advocate, could become involved in evaluating a program or policy after one year of implementation.
|
After a year of implementation, there are a number of opportunities for nurses to participate in program or policy evaluation. To begin with, the conduction of needs assessment is one of the crucial ways. Needs assessments can reveal whether the Affordable Care Act provides adequate coverage to those who stand to benefit from it. Methods for accomplishing this goal include data analysis on healthcare utilization, patient surveys or focus groups, and collaboration with community partners (Darney et al., 2020). Secondly, as a healthcare provider, a nurse is in a prime position to participate in policy analysis by providing insight into the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and making recommendations for how it may be made more effective. This can be done by engaging in dialogue with legislators and other interested parties or by researching and making recommendations about how to fix the Affordable Care Act. |
| General Notes/Comments |
The goals of the ACA are to enhance people’s access to quality, low-cost health care and to lower those expenses overall. The law mandates that all Americans obtain health insurance or pay the penalty, expands Medicaid, establishes health insurance exchanges, and guarantees access to preventative care without out-of-pocket expenses. Because of their position on the front lines of patient care, nurses are well-positioned to provide feedback on the ACA’s efficacy while it is being implemented and assessed ((Darney et al., 2020). To ensure the Affordable Care Act is having the desired effect on patient outcomes, access to care, and healthcare costs, nurses may examine these factors and provide useful feedback to legislators. |
References
Buchmueller, T. C., & Levy, H. G. (2020). The ACA’s impact on racial and ethnic disparities in health insurance coverage and access to care: An examination of how the insurance coverage expansions of the Affordable Care Act have affected disparities related to race and ethnicity. Health Affairs, 39(3), 395-402. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2019.01394
Campbell, A. L. (2020). The Affordable Care Act and mass policy feedback. Journal of Health Politics, Policy, and Law, 45(4), 567–580. https://doi.org/10.1215/03616878-8255493
Darney, B. G., Jacob, R. L., Hoopes, M., Rodriguez, M. I., Hatch, B., Marino, M., … & Cottrell, E. K. (2020). Evaluation of Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act and contraceptive care in US community health centers. JAMA Network Open, 3(6), e206874-e206874. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.6874
Glied, S. A., Collins, S. R., & Lin, S. (2020). Did The ACA Lower Americans’ Financial Barriers To Health Care? A review of evidence to determine whether the Affordable Care Act was effective in lowering cost barriers to health insurance coverage and health care. Health Affairs, 39(3), 379-386. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2019.01448
Steenland, M., Sinaiko, A., Glynn, A., Fitzgerald, T., & Cohen, J. (2019). The effect of the Affordable Care Act on patient out-of-pocket cost and use of preventive cancer screenings in Massachusetts. Preventive Medicine Reports, 15, 100924. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2019.100924
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Program/policy evaluation is a valuable tool that can help strengthen the quality of programs/policies and improve outcomes for the populations they serve. Program/policy evaluation answers basic questions about program/policy effectiveness. It involves collecting and analyzing information about program/policy activities, characteristics, and outcomes. This information can be used to ultimately improve program services or policy initiatives.
Nurses can play a very important role assessing program/policy evaluation for the same reasons that they can be so important to program/policy design. Nurses bring expertise and patient advocacy that can add significant insight and impact. In this Assignment, you will practice applying this expertise and insight by selecting an existing healthcare program or policy evaluation and reflecting on the criteria used to measure the effectiveness of the program/policy.
To Prepare:
Review the Healthcare Program/Policy Evaluation Analysis Template provided in the Resources.
Select an existing healthcare program or policy evaluation or choose one of interest to you.
Review community, state, or federal policy evaluation and reflect on the criteria used to measure the effectiveness of the program or policy described.
The Assignment: (2–3 pages)
Based on the program or policy evaluation you selected, complete the Healthcare Program/Policy Evaluation Analysis Template. Be sure to address the following:
Describe the healthcare program or policy outcomes.
How was the success of the program or policy measured?
How many people were reached by the program or policy selected?
How much of an impact was realized with the program or policy selected?
At what point in program implementation was the program or policy evaluation conducted?
What data was used to conduct the program or policy evaluation?
What specific information on unintended consequences was identified?
What stakeholders were identified in the evaluation of the program or policy?
Who would benefit most from the results and reporting of the program or policy evaluation?
Be specific and provide examples.
Did the program or policy meet the original intent and objectives? Why or why not?
Would you recommend implementing this program or policy in your place of work? Why or why not?
Identify at least two ways that you, as a nurse advocate, could become involved in evaluating a program or policy after 1 year of implementation.
Please Stick to 3 pages.
Thanks for all your help
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| This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
Program/Policy EvaluationBased on the program or policy evaluation you seelcted, complete the Healthcare Program/Policy Evaluation Analysis Template. Be sure to address the following:· Describe the healthcare program or policy outcomes.· How was the success of the program or policy measured?· How many people were reached by the program or policy selected? How much of an impact was realized with the program or policy selected?· At what point in time in program implementation was the program or policy evaluation conducted? |
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35 pts | ||||
| This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
Reporting of Program/Policy Evaluations· What data was used to conduct the program or policy evaluation?· What specific information on unintended consequences was identified?· What stakeholders were identified in the evaluation of the program or policy? Who would benefit the most from the results and reporting of the program or policy evaluation? Be specific and provide examples.· Did the program or policy meet the original intent and objectives? Why or why not?· Would you recommend implementing this program or policy in your place of work? Why or why not?· Identify at least two ways that you, as a nurse advocate, could become involved in evaluating a program or policy after 1 year of implementation. |
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50 pts | ||||
| This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
Written Expression and Formatting – Paragraph Development and Organization: Paragraphs make clear points that support well developed ideas, low logically, and demonstrate continuity of ideas.Sentences are carefully focused– neither long and rambling nor short and lacking substance. A clear and comprehensive purpose statement and introduction is provided which delineates all required criteria. |
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5 pts | ||||
| This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
Written Expression and Formatting – English Writing Standards: Correct grammar, mechanics, and proper punctuation |
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5 pts | ||||
| This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
Written Expression and Formatting:
The paper follows correct APA format for title page, font, spacing, parenthetical/in-text citations, and reference list). |
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5 pts | ||||
| Total Points: 100 | ||||||
