Assignment: Health Policy and Professional Leadership

Health Policy and Professional Leadership

Exploring Topic Areas /health care bills and policies

Purpose: The purpose of this assignment is to introduce the student to various [proposed] health care bills and policies and to explore the processes involved in attaining passage of proposed bills or policie s into law.

There are a number of health policy websites that allow you to explore what is currently happening in the health policy arena. Below are the websites recommended for this assignment. Each of these has additional links and resources which will help you to gather information. Remember to consider various levels of government action at the federal, state, county and city, and the many branches of government – administrative, legislative, and executive.

· Govtrack.us

· The U.S. Senate Legislation & Records

· Nursing World.org–  Policy & Advocacy-Congress and Federal Agencies-Legislation & Issues

· Illinois General Assembly

· The Peoria Area Chamber

· You may use high quality resources to support your choices, but should use the above primarily.

· [No Wiki or Blog]

· #1) Search any of these sites to find 3 health-related new policies, newly proposed bills, and/or issues which have been introduced or voted upon within the past 6 months.

· All 3 should still be in the introduction or negotiation phases and NOT already PASSED!!!

· You may need to dig around the site to find 3 areas of interest related to health to discuss in this paper. Your choices should be topics that you are interested in as you will select ONE of these for use in the next 2 assignments. 

· Remember: You do not want a bill or law that has been passed or that is being revised/amended.

· #2) Your step is to address all of the questions below, for each of the 3 topics that you have selected.

· You should be able to completely address each topic in 1 page.

· Keep to the point. The combined analysis of the 3 proposed bills will make up a paper which is no longer than 4 pages excluding the cover page and reference page.   Deductions will be made for excessive length, or not meeting the minimum page requirement [4].

 

· Directions for Exploring Topic Areas Word Document: Follow this outline

· *See also Rubric which correlates with this list

1. Identify the topic:

a) Provide identification of 3 newly proposed items of interest:

· list them and address them by their official number [if applicable]

· and bill name: [Example: S:683 or H.R. 1538, S:754-Cybersecurity]

2. Summary:

3. a) Include a short summary describing the topic/the issue

b) and the history of the issue to date [how it came to be in the first place]

c) Riders MUST be addressed: Describe any attached issues or additional parts/’riders’ if this is a proposed bill being discussed.

· [There are often ‘riders’ to a proposed bill. Something that is being added.  Include whatever it is and discuss the history of it, relevance of it to the main topic. * See ‘About Riders’ in Student Resource tab-D2L]

4. Population: Discuss the population that will be affected by the proposed issue & how they are affected.

5. HCP: Discuss the role of health care professionals in this issue? [this is may require additional consideration from your critical thinking-not necessarily a resource]

6. Pro/Con X 3 bills: List and discuss 1 pro and 1 con [Minimum] related to EACH issue. 

7. Expert testimony: Include discussion of 1 expert in the field who can, does, or is speaking out, or publishing information to address this new issue. This means that you are looking for 3 different people. – [Experts may be an author, a lobbyist, someone with professional experience (MD, Lawyer, Nurse, SW etc. **.).] Please Note: This person is NOT the sponsor of the bill or proposed issue being discussed. Only 1% of the time is the political office holder an expert on the topic in health care.

8. Your Position: Lastly, comment briefly on your position on this topic.  If you approve or disapprove of the issue and your factual reasons why.

i. [This should not comprise more than ¼ of the entire paper].

9. APA et al: All the normal paper requirements-see list in rubric: APA format (including title page, reference page, introduction, headings and subheadings, conclusion) [APA is double spaced which means ~ 500 words per page]

Suggestions:

· Use the rubric below to lay out your paper.

· Using the items listed as headings and subheadings will keep you and the reader focused.  It will also help to avoid missing something.

 

 

 

Grading Rubric: Exploring Topic Areas

	Points Possible	Points Awarded and Comments
Introduction and Conclusion	4
1.Three proposed topics [each with bill name and number or identifier]	6
2. A brief summary of all 3 topics	12
3. Clearly addressed Riders X 3 bills	6
4. Identified Population & effect	10
5. Addressed the role of healthcare professionals x 3	10
6. Pros & Cons [1 each x 3 bills = 6 total]	10
7. Includes THREE expert opinions [1 per topic]	8
8. Personal position on proposals x 3	2
9.-APA format et al.–cover page, citations, references listed on a ref page, body pg. limit=4	6
10.-Correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, headings/ subheadings citations, references	6
	80

 

Rev1-20v5/JM 1