A Bill that has been proposed
To Prepare:
Select a bill that has been proposed (not one that has been enacted) using the congressional websites provided in the Learning Resources.
The Assignment: (1- to 2-page Legislation Grid; 1-page Legislation Testimony/Advocacy Statement)
Be sure to add a title page, an introduction, purpose statement, and a conclusion. This is an APA paper.
Part 1: Legislation Grid
Based on the health-related bill (proposed, not enacted) you selected, complete the Legislation Grid Template. Be sure to address the following:
Determine the legislative intent of the bill you have reviewed.
Identify the proponents/opponents of the bill.
Identify the target populations addressed by the bill.
Where in the process is the bill currently? Is it in hearings or committees?
Part 2: Legislation Testimony/Advocacy Statement
Based on the health-related bill you selected, develop a 1-page Legislation Testimony/Advocacy Statement that addresses the following:
Advocate a position for the bill you selected and write testimony in support of your position.
Explain how the social determinants of income, age, education, or gender affect this legislation.
Describe how you would address the opponent to your position. Be specific and provide examples.
At least 2 outside resources and 2-3 course specific resources are used.
PLEASE USE THE GRID BELOW. PLEASE USE 3 COURSE SOURCES IN THE FILE UPLOADED ALONG WITH 2 OUTSIDE SOURCES
ORDER A CUSTOM-WRITTEN PAPER HERE
Legislation Grid Template
| Health-Related Bill Name | Medicaid Primary Care Improvement Act |
| Bill Number | H.R. 3836 |
| Description | The H.R. 3836 bill specifies on the state Medicaid program authorization during primary care services provision through integrating a fixed periodic fee on direct primary-care arrangement (Govtrack.us, n.d.).
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| Federal or State? | Federal |
| Legislative Intent | The Bill’s legislative intent concerns the need for the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare services to carry out virtual stakeholder meetings and provide appropriate guidance on ways state Medicaid programs can easily implement direct primary-care arrangements (Govtrack.us, n.d.). Also, the Bill proposes how these services can contract independent providers and how to enhance Medicaid managed care costs and quality during direct primary-care services. |
| Proponents and Opponents | Proponents:
Opponents: There is currently no opponent though the discussions are ongoing. |
| Target Population | The target population is healthcare providers that provide primary care and where Medicaid and Medicare Services cover most patients. |
| Status of the Bill | The Bill was introduced to the committee on June 6, 2023 by Crenshaw, Dan, before being reported to the Energy and Commerce House Committee on September 1, 2023. The update was published on September 15, 2023, awaiting further actions from the House, Senate, and the President. |
| General Notes/Comments | Bills on Medicare or Medicaid need to be taken seriously by the legislators. That is because most Americans, especially the vulnerable, cannot pay for their healthcare services using private or out-of-pocket means. Hence, to reduce the high morbidity and mortality rates related to different illnesses that the population faces, it is necessary to modify Medicare and Medicaid services to benefit the patients and healthcare providers (Zuckerman et al., 2021). Thus, once the healthcare providers feel appreciated by the Medicaid programs, they increase the chances of providing quality healthcare services. |
Part 2: Legislation Testimony/Advocacy Statement
My Position
As a nurse who acknowledges the impact of Medicare and Medicaid programs on the American population, I concur with Crenshaw, Dan, the Primary Sponsor of the Medicaid Primary Care Improvement Act, in introducing the Bill. Generally, improving Medicaid Primary Care will increase the viability of healthcare organizations to adhere to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements, which is an integral part of healthcare insurance in the United States. ACA advocates for affordable, quality care (Zhao et al., 2020). Therefore, by legislators passing the Medicaid Primary Care Improvement Act, all healthcare organizations and healthcare providers can easily adjust their services, including contracting independent healthcare providers to enhance patient outcomes.
Social Determinants of Health
The social determinants of health, like education, age, income, and gender, may impact the Bill. For instance, the Bill needs to outline the level of education that healthcare organizations need to consider when outsourcing healthcare providers in primary care. That is to avoid issues relating to transparency and honesty since some hospitals may take advantage of the Bill prompt for their selfish benefits (Li et al., 2020). Also, on income, having a fixed amount may prevent independent healthcare providers from overcharging healthcare facilities, but there is a need to align the fixed charges with the disease type. That is because some diseases may present complications compared to others. Lastly, age and gender may also impact the Bill since different age groups and gender requires different attention, like transgender patients, especially when contracting independent healthcare providers (Reece-Nguyen et al., 2022). Hence, healthcare organizations will always need to embrace collaboration among all healthcare providers for effective patient outcomes.
Addressing the Opponent
There are no opponents to the Bill, but if there were, I would remind them of the need to adhere to the Affordable Care Act, which encourages the need to provide affordable and quality care. Also, I would ensure that I engaged in evidence-based research to explain why improving the current Medicaid practices in primary care is necessary, particularly in improving the health needs of vulnerable populations.
References
Govtrack.us. (n.d.). H.R. 3836: Medicaid Primary Care Improvement Act . GovTrack.us. Retrieved September 21, 2023, from https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/118/hr3836/text
Li, Y., Ying, M., Cai, X., Kim, Y., & Thirukumaran, C. P. (2020). Trends in Postacute Care Use and Outcomes After Hip and Knee Replacements in Dual-Eligible Medicare and Medicaid Beneficiaries, 2013-2016. JAMA Network Open, 3(3), e200368. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.0368
Reece-Nguyen, T. L., Tollinche, L., Van Rooyen, C., & Roque, R. A. (2022). Current challenges faced by transgender and gender-diverse patients and providers in anesthesiology. International Anesthesiology Clinics, 61(1), 26–33. https://doi.org/10.1097/aia.0000000000000384
Zhao, J., Mao, Z., Fedewa, S. A., Nogueira, L., Yabroff, K. R., Jemal, A., & Han, X. (2020). The Affordable Care Act and access to care across the cancer control continuum: A review at 10 years. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 70(3). https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21604
Zuckerman, S., Skopec, L., & Aarons, J. (2021). Medicaid Physician Fees Remained Substantially Below Fees Paid By Medicare In 2019. Health Affairs, 40(2), 343–348. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00611