Writing Homework Help

I am working on discussion responses and need 100 word responses to these discussion response.

Discussion 1

Read the article “Be Healthy and Get Rewarded–Incentives Driving Engagement in Health and Wellness (Links to an external site.).” Taking into consideration some of the significant changes to health insurance policies, please review the article and address the following two questions. Explain your answers in at least 200 words.

As described in the article, what options do patients with preexisting health conditions have in regard to wellness initiative compliance?

As described in the article, the options that patients with preexisting health conditions have in regard to wellness initiatives is potentially being automatically enrolled in an incentive program to abide by their selected care plan. The goal is to prevent readmission. In doing so, the incentive drives the individual in wanting to take better care of his/herself, which triggers better behaviors and a healthier lifestyle. In return, which improves health and reduces cost. For example, my co-workers and I all have made a pact to make healthier eating choices and better lifestyle choices. During lunch, every day, we all walk take a 30-minute brisk walk around our complex building. If I am out of town, we do a team’s meeting and still walk. We have all vowed to stay away from sodas and chips. We have incorporated more fruit and vegetables in our daily snack choices and have started drinking more water. At the end of the month, we treat ourselves a soda and meal of our choosing, as a reward for doing so well the entire month. In doing so, we have lost a total of 53 pounds. I, especially, have changed my eating habits. Each morning in route to work, I would stop at the Waffle House and order a cheese steak omelet. Yes, that was 30 days out of the month. It was so bad, whenever, I walked in, they all knew my order by hard. Unfortunately, I had a mild stroke (February 26, 2020) and while being hospitalized, I found out my cholesterol was through the roof. I could only imagine why; eggs, cheese, and butter every day. Needless to say; that scare was enough for me to change my habits. I know enough a scrumptious bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios and turkey sausage for breakfast or a Slim and Trim from Smoothie King.

Are the new health plans truly helping consumers to a better and healthier lifestyle or are they hindering consumers ability to freely pursue getting proper treatment, if needed, due to the fear of high deductible costs?

The new health plans have truly helped me to have a better and healthier lifestyle. I never want to be readmitted for such a life- threatening cause. So, I took the advice of all those who cared for me during my stay and have since lost 26 pounds and feel great!

Discussion 2

As described in the article, patients have several different options. The most significant are the wellness plans that are offered, and the health checks each year. Most companies offer some type of rewards program for their employee’s to take advantage of, however the challenge is getting them to participate. “Incentives is what drives individuals to take behaviors that improve health and reduce cost.” (Nosta,2014, Sec.2) This is a true statement to some degree, however for others like myself I take full advantage of every resource available as I have preexisting conditions. . For example, I am a breast cancer survivor and must have specific compression garments. Our wellness program provides special garments and other incentives such as if you finish cancer or health walk you get cash. It also allows for specific challenges with other team members across the organization to help the team members stay motivated and encourage the use.

Are the new health plans truly helping consumers to have a better and healthier lifestyle or are they actually hindering consumers ability to freely pursue getting proper treatment, if needed, due to the fear of high deductible costs?

It is helping consumers have healthier lives. Most consumers want the opportunity to take better care of their health. They want the opportunity to seize opportunities through their employers to stay engaged and connected to good healthy living. For example, in most of our locations we have state of the art fitness centers, but in our plants the employees are incentivized to use them (monetarily) due to the nature of their jobs. Since their work is so physical i.e. lifting engines, transmissions etc. the organization pays them monthly to ensure they are utilizing the facilities to keep their strength up. They have to also take physical each quarter to ensure they can still lift the job-related specified amount of weight. This is a great program and the plant team members really take advantage of ensuring their health, fitness and safety is a priority. Another example is Toyota’s Startwell program that provides many incentives to not only stimulate physical health but physical, emotional and mental as well. This goes hand in hand with the organizations mindful meditating tactics that they share across the organization monthly. This provides the team members opportunities to relax their mind in a peaceful and serene setting while being mentally stimulated by specific sounds like, beach water or rain. It is actually really cool and great for the mind. All things combined, these types of programs help keep employee’s engaged and healthy.

Reference:

Nosta, J. (2014, April 09). Be Healthy and Get Rewarded – Incentives Driving Engagement in Health and Wellness. Forbes.

Discussion 3

Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 and The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010

Discuss the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. What are the most prominent elements to understanding these two acts? How do they impact the employee and the organization?

The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, also known as FMLA, offers qualified workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave, as well as job security, per year. While on leave, that employee’s health benefits are to remain instated during the duration of his/her leave. FMLA sole purpose is to allow an employee to balance family and work obligations by approving acquired time off for reasons, as it relates directly to that employee, such as the birth or caring of a newborn, caring for an immediate family member with any serious health normality or condition, the adoption of a child, or if the employee is physically unable to work him/herself due to a serious illness or health condition. The requirements to be approved for FMLA include being employed with that employer at least 12 months or 1,250 hours over the last 12 months and the company must have 50 or more employees within a 75-mile radius.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, informally known as Obama Care, was signed into law March 23, 2010 by former President Barack Obama. The ACA was designed to ensure that more people had health coverage within the United States. It also aimed to reduce spending as it related to healthcare in the Unites States, standardize the health insurance industry, and enhance the quality of insurance and healthcare being offered. One of the main goals of the ACA was to offer and allow individuals with preexisting conditions, such as cancer and diabetes, to obtain health insurance who could not in the past. In doing so, since 2014, health insurance companies have not been allowed to raise premiums due to any preexisting health conditions or disabilities for children or infants. Also, since the passing of the ACA, health insurers cannot cancel or deny coverage for individuals with preexisting health conditions; nor can they charge that individual more for having that condition, and the individual’s insurance must cover that condition.

The most prominent elements to understanding these two acts is having a clear and concise understanding of each and knowing when to use each based on an individual’s circumstances.

They impact the employee and organization in a positive manner. For example, an employee that knows he/she works for an organization that offers FMLA in its benefits compensation package, may be more devoted and dedicated to that organization. The reason being, he/she may never know when he/she may need to acquire FMLA leave and will do his/her best as an employee so if the time presents, he/she will know his/her time will be approved and his/her job will be secured. The ACA has the same positive impact because it allows an individual to be offered some type of insurance benefits through his/her job. It also allows individuals with any preexisting conditions, to qualify for insurance with it being no additional cost to him/her.

U.S. Department of Labor. (n.d.). Family and Medical Leave Act . Retrieved from https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fmla

Discussion 4 Yes

The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) provides workers who qualify to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year. The 12 weeks do not have to be taken at once, it can be broken up as needed and provides job protection while employees are on leave. The employees can use this leave for taking care of a family member, extending maternity leave, or for having a serious underlying health condition. For example, my daughter has a serious back injury. She executed her FMLA benefit as she sometimes has a hard time sitting for long periods of time or if her back is in so much pain she can’t walk for a day or so. By having FLMA, it protects her job and keeps her medical benefits intact for up to a period of 12 weeks.

Obama Care, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, was an act that was provided or signed in when President Barack Obama was in office. It has since been renamed Biden care. It has 3 primary focuses which are too provide consumers with subsidies (“premium tax credits”) that lower costs for households with incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level, expand Medicaid, support innovative medical care delivery methods designed to lower the costs of health care generally.” (2010) The program is supposed to reduce expenditure related to healthcare expenses and designed to ensure increased individuals had good and quality health care benefits within the U.S. Since 2014, healthcare companies have been limited on raising any healthcare cost that was in relation to any preexisting medical conditions. In addition, healthcare providers are not allowed to deny coverage to anyone with preexisting conditions such as cancer, diabetes, or lung. For example, my niece was laid off during COVID and she has a bone disorder. She needed the healthcare to keep seeing her doctor at an affordable cost.

If people who are working and employed is not able to afford normal healthcare benefits through their organization, they are able to apply for these benefits. The benefits are not as lucrative as they would be with an organization, however they provide the necessary coverage for individuals in need.

References:

Healthcare.Gov. (n.d.) Retrieved from. https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/affordable-care-act/