Walden University Healthcare Policy Discussion: Changes and Impact

This discussion post analyzes changes in healthcare policies, specifically focusing on the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Medicaid expansion on healthcare access and delivery in the United States. It acknowledges both positive changes, such as increased access to care and reduced healthcare expenditure, and negative aspects, including ethical concerns related to patient data privacy and the need for a more competent healthcare workforce. The post also responds to colleagues' viewpoints, discussing the influence of healthcare policies on the roles of healthcare administrators and the importance of ethical considerations in decision-making. Recommendations are provided to improve healthcare policies, emphasizing the need for Medicaid expansion and transparency in healthcare costs. The post highlights the importance of designing healthcare programs and initiatives for healthcare staff, and advocates for taking initiatives to ensure that a maximum number of individuals receive insurance.

Running head : DISCUSSING POST
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

1
DISCUSSING POST
Changes of health care sector:
Over, the years due to the increase of the chronic disease, health care policies designed to
increase the accessibility of the health care sectors for the population of the United States
(McElfish, Hallgren, & Yamada, 2015). However, there are certain optimistic and adverse
changes observed in the health care policies in the United States which shapes the infrastructure
of health sectors.
Considering positive changes, In 2010 March, President Obama signed the ACA into law
that made hundreds of significant changes to the U.S. healthcare system. Because of the
affordable care act, health care expenditure reduced exponentially (De Hoyos, 2016).
Consequently, individuals with lower sociodemographic status are able to get access to health
care facilities. The second optimal changes is because of the legislation of public services act, a
considerate number of “Health Care Workforce Programs” are designed for health care sectors to
reform current practice and building a stronger workforce to enhance patient care.
However, if we consider adverse changes of the health care policies, electronic health
record was integrated in health sector for increasing the health accessibility through policies can
create an ethical issue related confidentiality and privacy of patient that further reduce quality of
care(Hacker et al., 2015). The second adverse change is that due to the stringency of the
structure of the health care policies, diverse alternative evidence-based treatments were
integrated into the practice, but not enough competent health care staffs were recruited to follow
these treatment procedures or no education was given to existed staffs with the respect to
treatment (Buchan et al., 2015). Consequently, it increases the chances of medical error in the
health sectors that further questioned patient safety.

2
DISCUSSING POST
Response to post:
Response to the colleague 1:
Colleague one is accurate in identifying the issues related to the ACA. Although ACA
legislated to increase the accessibility of the health care sectors, the gap exists in this legislation
regarding the delivery of care. Therefore, expansion of Medicaid health care policy is a potential
strategy to transform the health care delivery and increase the insured individuals in the United
States.
Response to second colleague 2:
Considering the second post, Michele Adam is accurate in identifying the issues related
to the ethical issues related to health care data. Because of the existence of information
technology, the breach of the health care data can cost reputation, patient, and limitation to the
health care sectors. Therefore, legislation such as HIPPA and HITECH assist health sectors to
preserve the private data.
Third part:
As a health care administration, these issues related to health care policies influence my
work since I failed to provide safe care to patients through technology because it may create
privacy issues. Due to the transformation in the delivery of care, I would be able to design the
health care program for the health care staffs to provide high-quality person-centered care.
After understanding issues related to the health care policies, it influenced my decision
making since I would take the initiatives to ensure the explanation of Medicaid health care policy
so that the maximum number of individuals receive insurance. I would also take the initiatives to
be transparent to the patient for reduction of unusual health care costs.

3
DISCUSSING POST
References:
Buchan, J., Twigg, D., Dussault, G., Duffield, C., & Stone, P. W. (2015). Policies to sustain the
nursing workforce: an international perspective. International Nursing Review, 62(2),
162-170.
De Hoyos, A. (2016). Issues on Luck Egalitarianism, Responsibility, and Intercultural Healthcare
Policies. Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics, 25(2), 186-196.
Hacker, K., Anies, M., Folb, B. L., & Zallman, L. (2015). Barriers to health care for
undocumented immigrants: a literature review. Risk management and healthcare
policy, 8, 175.
McElfish, P. A., Hallgren, E., & Yamada, S. (2015). Effect of US health policies on health care
access for Marshallese migrants. American journal of public health, 105(4), 637-643.