Policy Evaluation Analysis Assignment Instructions
Review the Healthcare Program/Policy Evaluation Analysis Template provided in the Resources.
Select an existing healthcare program or policy evaluation or choose one of interest to you.
Review community, state, or federal policy evaluation and reflect on the criteria used to measure the effectiveness of the program or policy described.
The Assignment: (2–3 pages)
Based on the program or policy evaluation you selected, complete the Healthcare Program/Policy Evaluation Analysis Template. Be sure to address the following:
Describe the healthcare program or policy outcomes.
How was the success of the program or policy measured?
How many people were reached by the program or policy selected?
How much of an impact was realized with the program or policy selected?
At what point in program implementation was the program or policy evaluation conducted?
What data was used to conduct the program or policy evaluation?
What specific information on unintended consequences was identified?
What stakeholders were identified in the evaluation of the program or policy? Who would benefit most from the results and reporting of the program or policy evaluation? Be specific and provide examples.
Did the program or policy meet the original intent and objectives? Why or why not?
Would you recommend implementing this program or policy in your place of work? Why or why not?
Identify at least two ways that you, as a nurse advocate, could become involved in evaluating a program or policy after 1 year of implementation.
Solution
Healthcare Program/Policy Evaluation Analysis
| Healthcare Program/Policy Evaluation Analysis | Medicare healthcare program |
| Description | Medicare is a national health insurance program that began in 1965. It is currently administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services; however, it was under the social security administration during its initiation. Medicare program provides health insurance coverage for American citizens aged 65 years and older. It also covers younger individuals with disabilities, end-stage renal disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, & Book, 2012). The Medicare program comprises four main parts that help in covering specific services. This include; part A- hospital insurance that covers inpatient care in hospitals, part B- medical insurance that covers doctors services and outpatient care, part C- provides an alternative managed Medicare which allows the patients to choose health plans that are covered with either part A or B, part D – gives prescription drugs coverage. |
| How was the success of the program or policy measured? | Medicare being a long-term healthcare program, its success is measured through longitudinal assessment of quality. That is the program’s achievement of a set objective, for example, using episode-based quality measurement. This has enabled the performance assessment of physicians and care teams working with the patients and the quality of healthcare available for patients with multiple chronic diseases. The episode-based quality measurements consider the episodes of illness, especially in chronic cases. Other types of measures included in the program are condition-based measures, procedure-based measures, primary prevention measures, and global measures of health status. Using these measures, the success rate of the Medicare program can be assessed systematically. |
| How many people were reached by the program or policy selected? How much of an impact was realized with the program or policy selected? | According to the 2019 Medicare trustee report, the Medicare program has benefited about 59.9 million individuals with health insurance cover. About 52 million are people aged above 65 years, and about 8 million are younger people and those with chronic illnesses. The government spending on the program can highlight the successful impact. In 2020, the government spent about $776.2 billion on Medicare, increasing from its initiation in 1965. currently, only about 2% of the elderly population is not covered by the Medicare insurance program. This is a dramatic increase compared to the 48% of older people who lacked medical insurance during the program’s initiation. There has been a recorded increase in the life expectancy of older Americans 65 years of age by about 15%; this can be attributed to the availability of quality healthcare services and financial coverage provided by the program. |
| At what point in program implementation was the program or policy evaluation conducted? | The first evaluation of the program took place in 1979, 14 years after its inception. There was little progress in enrollment, which stood at about 521 894 beneficiaries. The low enrollment led to the involvement of the Health Maintenance Organizations and financial beneficiaries, which saw the inclusion of other health plans that attracted more enrollment (King, et.al, 2011). However, the evaluation of this program is a continuous process with annual reports provided regarding the success and developments. This is because it is a long-term healthcare program. |
| What data was used to conduct the program or policy evaluation? | The annual enrollment to the program. This indicated the overall success of the program. After its inception, only about 521,894 older people had enrolled in the program; compared to the current number of enrollments, it is about a 48% increase in enrollment that is about 59.9 billion people (King, et.al, 2011). Thus this increase in the number of enrollment is used to evaluate the program’s success. It is, however, not limited to this but also other quality assessments of healthcare services provided in the facilities catering to the Medicare enrollees. |
| What specific information on unintended consequences was identified? | The major unintended consequence of the program is the yearly increase in federal expenditure. This is attributed to the continuous increase of Medicare enrollees. In 2008 the Medicare cost stood at about $386 billion, making 13%of the federal budget. This number is still going to rise over the years due to the increase in healthcare costs and the country’s overall economy. |
| What stakeholders were identified in the evaluation of the program or policy? Who would benefit most from the results and reporting of the program or policy evaluation? Be specific and provide examples. | The major stakeholders in the program are the elderly population. They solely determine the program’s success in that the more they enroll in the program, the healthier the elderly population. The healthcare facilities are also a stakeholder in that they work hand in hand with the insurance program to provide quality healthcare services as required by the program (Langwell, & Hadley, 1989). The government plays an upper hand in financing the insurance program to cater for all enrolled individuals and maintainace of the health facilities. The families of the Medicare enrollees are bound to benefit from the program. This is because the insurance program relieves the financial strain of costly healthcare services and chronic diseases that mainly affect the elderly. The government also benefits in that there are reduced dependency levels, resulting from high healthcare costs and financial strain in the treatment of chronic diseases in the elderly. Healthcare is one of the major causes of increased poverty levels. |
| Did the program or policy meet the original intent and objectives? Why or why not? | Yes, the program met its original objective, ensuring a healthier elderly population. This can be attributed to the 15% life expectancy increase among the elderly population. |
| Would you recommend implementing this program or policy in your place of work? Why or why not? | Yes, I would recommend it because it would ensure that older people in the work environment have access to quality healthcare without a negative effect of financial strain to cover the health care costs. |
| Identify at least two ways that you, as a nurse advocate, could become involved in evaluating a program or policy after one year of implementation. | A nurse can be involved in the program by taking part in the data collection, especially in health institutions for the common chronic illnesses affecting the elderly. The data collected can thus evaluate the program to offer individualized insurance plans. They can also offer their perspectives on how to solve the issues identified by the Program within the health industry by proposing policies to be implemented. |
| General Notes/Comments | The program has been an advantage to the population, especially in high healthcare costs and a rise in the economy. Thus it ensures that the elderly population is also catered to in the healthcare system. |
References
Langwell, K. M., & Hadley, J. P. (1989). Evaluation of the Medicare competition demonstrations. Health Care Financing Review, 11(2), 65.
Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, & Book, A. D. (2012). Healthcare Spending and the Medicare Program. Washington, DC: MedPAC)(June 2019).
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS. (2011). Medicare program; Medicare shared savings program: Accountable care organizations. Final rule. Federal Register, 76(212), 67802-67990.
King, G., Nielsen, R., Coberley, C., Pope, J. E., & Wells, A. (2011). Avoiding randomization failure in program evaluation, with application to the Medicare Health Support program. Population Health Management, 14(S1), S-11.