What do you think is the best course for health policy to follow in the future?
You have spent much of the last 5 weeks examining how others have created the current state of health care policy. In this final Discussion, you will assume the role of policy maker.
To prepare for this Discussion, review this week's Learning Resources. Give particular consideration to the course text "Epilogue" and its depiction of the direction of health care policy and practice.
Create a health care policy that you would like to put into place.
Post a summary of the article then post a comprehensive response to the following:
Summarize your policy.
What are the goals of your policy?
Who are the stakeholders?
How would you develop the policy?
Who will be affected by the policy?
What are some barriers and facilitators to its successful implementation?
Note: Initial postings must be 250-350 words (not including references).
RESOURCES
Health Politics, Policy, and Practice
Chapter 2, Markets and PoliticsIn this chapter on health economics, the author examines the question of how you balance the needs and power of the health care market and the government.
Chapter 3, "Morals and Health Policy"What role does morality play in health care policy? This chapter considers how moral ideas can shape health policy.
Chapter 7, "AIDS"Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a terrifying disease with as much of a political history as a medical one. This chapter looks at the controversial politics and policies of treatment, service delivery, and prevention.
Chapter 8, "The Elderly: Health Politics Beyond AgingSenior citizens are the fastest growing portion of the population. As a group, the elderly are also the largest consumers of health care services. This chapter explains the current state of affairs of politics, policy, and our senior citizens.
It is against this backdrop that the political debate between conservatives and liberals about how the future of our health system should be structured is taking place.
EpilogueThe epilogue considers three issues that will shape the future of health politics and policy in the coming century: abortion, death and dying, and national health insurance.