SOCI 370 Health Care Policy
Major Health care changes, including governmental and private policies affecting health care delivery are based on health care reform(s). Health care reform has been a global issue over the years. Today, the healthcare industry is an immense part of the United States economy. Overall, health care spending amounts to 7 trillion + annually. Health care regulation and policy is complex, with nearly every health related discipline involved in decision-making and overseen by one regulatory body or another, and sometimes by several. Such regulations are enforced by federal, state, local governments, and even private organizations. Healthcare policy affects not only the cost citizens must pay for care, but also their access to care and the quality of care received, which can influence their overall health. A top concern for policymakers is the rising cost of healthcare, which has placed an increasing strain on the disposable income of consumers as well as on state budgets. Some of the organizations that have influenced healthcare policy include the American Medical Association, and the American Association of Retired Persons as well as large health insurance companies. Unfortunately, some groups may have a conflict of interest, which also raises ethical issues making the development of a policy difficult at best. This course describes the private, governmental, professional and economic contributions to the development and operation of the health care system. Students will explore the development and implementation of health care policy, health care technology, hospitals origin, organization and performance, health care workers, financing health care, role of all government entities, discuss the future of health care, and learn the special problems of high-risk populations and health system responses. And lastly, identify and describe the quality control activities of the current health care system and relate service provider behaviors to legal, ethical, and financial considerations.