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PLEASE, SEE BELOW CLASSMATE DISCUSSION ANSWER AND WRITE A response EITHER AGREEING/ DISAGREEING FOR FUTHER ELABORATING ON THE SUBJECT POSTED BY CLASSMATE. (w6 dq2 CL)

Engaging with different perspectives provides opportunities for learning and potentially changing your approach to ensure it fits the needs of stakeholders. The public health issue that could be addressed with policy change that I chose is the Medicaid system. Medicaid is the federal government’s largest single welfare program for the poor. Its costs now exceed the costs of all other public assistance programs- including family assistance, SSI, and the food stamp program. Medicaid was established in 1965 and grew quickly into the nation’s largest welfare program. Since then, there have been many policy changes in the program implemented by the government, like the introduction of the Affordable Care Act, because of the issues rising in the series of its implementation and based on the evaluations done by research organizations of government, private institutions, and interest groups. The way government implements and administers such programs for the welfare of the public can be best illustrated with the process of Policy making, their evaluation, and the issues arising out of their implementation. Public policy is said to be what the governments wish to do or not to do. Governments implement several laws which may or may not be accepted by the people. It provides many services, facilities, and entitlements, in lieu of some taxes. Thus, the policies implemented may regulate the way people behave, provide services, and collect taxes. Medicaid is the United States health program for people and families with low incomes and resources. It is a program that is jointly funded by the state and federal governments, and is managed by the states. Being the federal government’s largest single welfare program for the low income group as a pure welfare measure, its costs now exceed the costs of all other public welfare/ developmental programs- including family assistance, Social Security Income, and the food stamp program. It was begun in 1965 and is now the nation’s largest welfare program (2021). The Medicaid serves certain U.S. citizens and resident aliens, including low-income adults and their children, and people with certain disabilities. Poverty alone may not necessarily qualify someone for Medicaid. It covers almost one-third of the total child population, and deliveries also, most of them from families at or below the Federal poverty level. It also covers 8 million people with disabilities, and only one-fourth of the poor young adults, since their eligibility is higher. Medicaid also supports Medicare enrollees by paying their Medicare premiums and a few critical services that are not included in Medicare (2021). The Program can be said to have served the maximum number of people, and when needed, like during the economic recession in the years of 2007-2009. The enrollment increased by nearly 6 Million during the Recession. This also put additional burden on the state budgets. The increased enrollment in-turn led to a rise an increase in the spending for Medicaid. It was of great help to the individuals who lost their jobs during this period and forced into poverty (2021). The stake holders include senior Medicaid and agency leadership, the Governor’s office, the provider community, the patient and advocacy community, the State legislature, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). I would solicit their input by first understanding that involving stakeholders during all stages of a care management program can lead to early buy-in, successful program design, and establishment of long-term support for the program. So I would use a strategy of identifying the key stakeholders, establishing relationships and communicating regularly with said stakeholders, and managing expectations of the policy. Key stake holders can be of assistance with program rollout or expansion and to build program sustainability. These key stake holders would be actively involved in the care policy and influential among their peers. Such key stakeholders would be State legislators and their staff, staff members from the Governor’s office, senior Medicaid leadership, and providers. I would also focus on ongoing communication with my stakeholders which represents another strategy to secure and maintain stakeholder support. By maintaining regular communication with stakeholders, program staff can establish themselves as the key contact or source for information about the program. Serving as the key contact ensures that stakeholders receive recent and correct program information and provides a resource for stakeholders’ questions or concerns. I would also maintain stakeholder support effectively by sharing program outcomes early and often. In sharing program successes and outcomes, I would have program staff consider what types of outcomes stakeholders will find most meaningful and incorporate this into policy plans. Policy program staff can identify early outcomes that key stakeholders would consider as successful to demonstrate and communicate results.

References

2021. Policies and Manuals. (2021). Retrieved September 27, 2021, from https://policies.ncdhhs.gov/divisional/health-benefits-nc-medicaid/adult-medicaid/change-notices/2021.