Assignment Prompt
This assignment is intended to help you learn to critically analyze a policy challenge on the state level, understand its origins, assess the implemented policy actions, and evaluate their impact on the community. In this module, you will focus on your state government and a specific policy challenge it faces. Ideally, it is the same issue that you chose to research at the local level in Module 2, the focus shifting as it moves to the state level. Follow the steps below to complete your assignment: 1. Review the Overview, the previous Current Issue in Health Policy assignments, and the organizational websites as needed. 2. Define the Problem in your State: Identify and describe a specific issue or problem within your local community that has prompted the implementation of a policy. Provide background information on the problem, including its causes and potential consequences. (Word limit: 200 words) 3. State the Policy: Identify one to three specific policy actions that have been implemented to address the identified problem. Explain the key components of each policy and how they are intended to mitigate the issue. (Word limit: 200 words) 4. Make Your Case: Analyze and present arguments in favor of the selected policy actions. Consider the stakeholders involved, the political and social context, and any supporting evidence or data. Make a compelling case for why these policies were deemed necessary. (Word limit: 300 words) 5. Discuss the Impact of the Policy on your State: Evaluate the effectiveness and consequences of the implemented policy actions on your state. Discuss any notable improvements or drawbacks resulting from the policies. Consider the perspectives of various stakeholders and provide evidence to support your analysis. (Word limit: 300 words)
Defining the Problem
One of the problems experienced in Colorado is the lack of health equity. A health equity report in Colorado revealed that health access and affordability varies across people of different ethnicities, races, education, income, gender, sexual orientation, and disability status. According to the survey that led to the report, 28% of people of color compared to 16% of white people do not pursue healthcare services due to the feeling of not being respected (Colorado Consumer Health Initiative, 2024). People with disabilities report experiencing medication rationing due to high medication costs, delays accessing healthcare services, and high costs of care. In households with people living with disabilities, 37% experience medical rationing compared to 20% of households without disabled people (Colorado Consumer Health Initiative, 2024). Health inequities lead to poor health outcomes, chronic diseases, decreased quality of life, medical debts, decreased savings, and people sacrificing their basic needs to meet medical bills. Additionally, health inequities lead to poor mental health outcomes such as stress and anxiety.
Stating the Policy
The policy that is meant to address the problem of health inequities in Colorado is Senate Bill 21-181; Strategic Plan Address Health Disparities. This policy, created by the Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) addresses the downstream and upstream determinants of health. The policy is meant to address health disparities and improve health outcomes for marginalized, underserved, and unrepresented communities in the protected classes (age, class, race, place of origin, sexual orientation, gender, disability, and language) and enrolled in Health First Colorado (Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing, 2024). The policy renamed the 'health disparities grant program' to the 'health disparities and community grant program'. Overall, this policy seeks to enhance health equity and eliminate health disparities by authorizing the Office of Health Equity to award grants for various health-related projects.
Making Your Case
The policy formulated with collaboration between the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) and the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment’s (CDPHE) Office of Health Equity (OHE) aims at creating a healthcare delivery system that addresses healthcare disparities. The policy is necessary to enhance the affordability of healthcare through the allocation of resources to regions with significantly poor health outcomes (Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, 2022). Through this policy, programs such as Health First Colorado will be able to advance ethnic and racial equity hence meeting the needs of the community members. Through this program, youth, children, and people of color have access to high-quality healthcare services leading to better long-term health outcomes. The Strategic Plan is also necessary for improving data to identify health inequities. Colorado is seeking to modify Health First applications to include more demographic data on language spoken, race and ethnicity groups covered, gender, and age (Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing, 2024).
Discussing the Impact
The policy has increased funding for vaccine outreach. With the policy, the CDPHE received $14,337,696 to provide vaccines to high-population groups, people affected by health disparities, and members who are homebound. Through this program, 100% of the homebound Health First Colorado members received vaccines and this minimized health disparities among people who cannot move from their homes (Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, 2022). The policy has successfully enhanced access to healthcare services among the entire diverse population in Colorado, improved access to long-term care for individuals living with disabilities, made language translation and transcription services available, and invested more in postpartum care for mothers and babies. The policy has also enhanced community engagement, working closely with marginalized populations such as Hispanic/Latino people, older adults, people living with disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, American Indians, African Americans, immigrants, and refugees.
References
- Colorado Consumer Health Initiative. (2024). Colorado report reveals healthcare inequities and healthcare illiteracy. https://cohealthinitiative.org/media-releases/healthcare-value-hub-reports-2/
- Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing. (2024). Health equity. https://hcpf.colorado.gov/health-equity
- Department of Health Care Policy and Financing. (2022). Department health equity plan fiscal year 2022-23. https://hcpf.colorado.gov/sites/hcpf/files/2022%20HCPF%20Health%20Equity%20Plan.pdf
Related sample: Denver Discrimination Healthcare Policy Analysis