Read each discussion and make one reply to each discussion. These replies do not need to be formal – but professional in nature. Include citations and references. 2 references for each reply. Ask 1 questions at the end of each reply. Each reply needs to be 137 Words
Discussion 1
The modification phase closes the circle in the policymaking process; it allows a policy to appropriately adjust and accommodate its constituents after it was initially drafted (Meacham, 2020). Telehealth and telemedicine are what permitted millions of Americans to access medical care during the height of the pandemic, but continue to shape the face of healthcare today (Health Resources & Services Administration, 2023). As time passes, it is critical to update this form of medical care to tend to the needs of both patients and providers. The pandemic helped catapult a new era of care into the hands of many across the world, but its usage and popularity are dependent on its optimization to the world today.
Many individuals who benefit from telehealth today are immobile or have difficulties accessing transportation to be seen by a provider. With telehealth and telemedicine, these individuals can speak to their clinician about concerns for their health, refill prescriptions, and have their test results read without having to leave their home or assisted care facility (Health Resources & Services Administration, 2023).
Internet access is crucial for patients to access those services, and can often be the barrier for patients receiving the care they need. Telehealth policies should include reliable internet access to all hospice and assisted care facilities. This would require changes and updates to the United States infrastructure, but it is the only way many Americans receive care unavailable in their housing facility. Although many housing centers provide transportation for their tenants, the issue continues for those living in rural areas or with providers who are out of range for the transportation service. Providers may visit housing facilities such as these on a schedule, however, patients who need to see a provider immediately or require specialty care not offered by the facility will likely suffer from poor health outcomes due to poor access to care.
Telehealth and telemedicine policies should also be modified to allow patients to see providers from any state. Because confidentiality and trust are so important in healthcare, patients can often feel uneasy changing providers after establishing care. Thanks to the PPACA, providers are also the patient’s choice; they should not feel limited to the services their providers offer locally when their sought-after treatment or care can be accessed elsewhere (Meacham, 2020). Currently, many states do not allow providers who are out-of-state to care for patients. However, some states are moving toward allowing providers to care for these patients (Health Resources & Services Administration, 2023). This is an important piece in increasing access to medical care for many Americans.
Telehealth’s implementation in the United States has shown how the delivery of care can be modified to fit the needs of both the provider and the patient. To help it expand and live on as an integral part of the American medical system, telehealth and telecommunication have to adapt to the requirements and asks of Americans who need accommodations to access necessary care.
References
Health Resources & Services Administration (2023, May 11). Licensing across state lines. Department of Health & Human Services. https://telehealth.hhs.gov/licensure/licensing-across-state-linesLinks to an external site.
Health Resources & Services Administration (2023, May 11). Telehealth policy updates. Department of Health & Human Services. https://telehealth.hhs.gov/providers/telehealth-policy/telehealth-policy-updatesLinks to an external site.
Meacham, M. R. (2020). Longest’s Health Policymaking in the United States (7th ed.). Health Administration Press. https://reader.yuzu.com/books/9781640552135
Discussion 2
Policymaking is a complex process and involves three phases: formulation, implementation, and modification (Meacham, 2021). The modification phase is what will be discussed in this post. Modification is necessary because writing and implementing a perfect policy is impossible. Even with a well-written policy, times and those in political power change, thus requiring modification of what was previously thought to be adequate (Meacham, 2021).
When putting myself in the role of someone working for President Biden working on health policy modification, I was immediately drawn to the issue of access to healthcare (or the lack of it) as an area that still needs change. Access to healthcare is akin to having health insurance in our current state. Not having health insurance leads to adverse health outcomes (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2023).
One of the aims of the PPACA was to make insurance more affordable and available to more people in the United States. More people are now covered than ever before; however, we still have a long way to go before everyone who wants or needs health insurance is covered. Coverage needs to be available to those who are the most in need among us. Providing Medicaid to these people is not enough. Even those that Medicaid covers still experience access issues due to the program’s low reimbursement rates (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2023). States must be encouraged to expand their Medicaid roles and increase physician reimbursement rates to bring more on board. This could be accomplished by providing the states with additional federal funding to incentivize them to do these things.
It would be worth the extra funding as we could steer the previously uninsured population away from the emergency department (ED) and to a primary care physician who can provide services at a fraction of the cost. Not to mention the mounting and unpayable medical bills that the uninsured face every time they visit the ED for minor ailments or injuries. The taxpayers ultimately pick up the bill for uninsured people who cannot pay their medical bills.
All in all, I believe we are headed in the right direction, and with some policy modifications we can get more people covered than ever before.
References
Meacham, M. R. (2021). Longest’s Health Policymaking in the United States (Seventh ed.). Health Administration Press.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2023, Access to Health Services. Health People 2030. Retrieved September 19, 2023, from https://health.gov/healthypeople/priority-areas/social-determinants-health/literature-summaries/access-health-servicesLinks to an external site.