Introduction to Health Policy – BUSI 304

Course Description

Examines procedures of how healthcare policy is developed at the federal and state levels. This course examines policy decisions and related issues that shape the healthcare organization, financing, and implementation of healthcare services and delivery systems. Ethical, social, and political issues that affect the provision of healthcare services will be evaluated.

Rationale

The purpose of this course is to explore the many dimensions of health policy and the regulations that derive from those policies within the political, cultural, scientific, and social contexts of American democracy in the twenty-first century. This course touches on all the elements of the Healthcare Administration program as it considers the viewpoints of economics, political science, management, communications, technology, and public health. It is important for health professionals to develop the roles and skills required for adding to the policy-making process in their local, state, and national communities.

Course Assignment

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (7)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to submit a thread in response to the provided prompt for each discussion. Each thread must be 300–500 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge. In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to 2 classmates’ threads. Each reply must be 250–350 words. Each thread and reply must cite at least 2 peer-reviewed sources, include at least 1 biblical integration, and follow current APA format.

Health Policy Article and Letter Assignments (2)

The student will create an article addressing an issue related to a specific legislative policy that affects healthcare and compose a letter to a legislator with the student's findings and recommendations. The article must be 400-500 words, cite at least 2 peer-reviewed journal articles for support, and integrate a biblical worldview. Use the same formatting rules for a paper with the letter immediately after the reference page. The letter must be 200–250 words. Be sure to follow current APA format.

Policy Study Assignments (2)

For each Policy Study, the student will research the assigned policy and respond to the discussion questions. Each Policy Study must be at least 1,000 words, cite at least 2 peer-reviewed journal articles in addition to the course textbook, and include biblical integration. Each Policy Study must be double-spaced, follow current APA format, and include a title page and a reference page. The word count does not include the title page and the reference page.

Create a PowerPoint presentation that is 8-10 slides (not including title and reference slides) with the following sections:

• MACRA Overview
  • Background, original intent, how it changed the healthcare landscape
• How did the industry respond to MACRA?
  • Has it been well received? Has it improved physician burnout rates?
• Did healthcare costs increase or decrease over the last 10 years?
  • What was MACRA’s influence on costs? What was the biggest driver of cost?
    • Some great sources to review cost are:
      • Center for Medicare Services website search “data” then click on the database to search “cost”
    • Healthcare quality rates over the last 10 years
      • Some great sources to review health quality are:
        • Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality website
          • Click “accept” and then review statistics on a health service
          • Center for Medicare Services website search “data” then click on the database to search “quality”
        • In the student's own words, did MACRA fulfill the intent?
          • Did MACRA improve healthcare quality?
          • Does the United States have better access to better care now than we did before?
        • The student will make a case! Should we renew MACRA? Why or why not?