NURS 8100: Week 5 – Discussion

Week 5: Economic and Technological Influences on 

Policy 

Economic factors have long been a key driver of health care policy and reform efforts. As noted in previous weeks, for instance, health policies have attempted to improve the situation for millions of uninsured or underinsured individuals and to address the barriers to health care access that have arisen as a result of the high costs associated with insurance and health service delivery. 

This week, you will examine how economics influences health policy and health care reform efforts. You will explore cost containment strategies from increasing administrative efficiency to health care rationing and the role of technology 

in health care reform and cost control efforts. 

Learning Objectives 

Students will: 

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Evaluate the use of technology to achieve health care reform and cost containment goals Analyze the economic consequences of a health care policy 

Learning Resources 

Required Readings 

Bodenheimer, T., & Grumbach, K. (2020). Understanding health policy: A clinical approach (8th ed.). McGraw-Hill. 

Chapter 8, “Painful Versus Painless Cost Control” 

Chapter 8 focuses on the relationship between health care costs and health outcomes and its importance on the health policy agenda. This chapter also presents strategies for effectively utilizing resources as opposed to rationing health 

care services. 

Chapter 9, “Mechanisms for Controlling Costs” 

Chapter 9 examines an array of policies aimed at controlling health care costs and 

reviews specific financial and reimbursement cost containment methods to health 

outcomes. 

Buntin, M. Jain, S., & Blumenthal, D. (2010). Health information technology: Laying the 

infrastructure for national health reform. Health Affairs, 29(6), 1214-1219. doi: 

10.1377/hlthaff.2010.0503 

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In this article, the authors examine the role of health information technology as a major component in the 

restructuring of health care. They suggest it will improve quality, reduce costs, and allow for seamless access to data across providers. 

Margolius, D., & Bodenheimer, T. (2010). Transforming primary care: From past practice to the practice of the future. Health Affairs, 29(5). 

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The authors propose a primary care practice of the future in which physicians act as leaders of a team of health care professionals. Reimbursement would shift from a pay-per-service model to a comprehensive model that incorporates both a standardized payment per patient and performance pay based on improved patient health 

outcomes. 

… 

Maxson, E., Jain, S., McKethan, A., Brammer, C., Buntin, M., Cronin, K., Blumenthal, 

D. (2010). Beacon communities aim to use health information technology to transform the delivery of care. Health Affairs, 29(9), 1671-1677.doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2010.0577 

Monheit, A., Cantor, J., DeLia, D., & Belloff, D. (2011). How have state policies to expand dependent coverage affected the health insurance status of young adults? Health Services Research, 46(1), 251-267. 

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Young adults (19-29 years of age) are one of the highest uninsured segments of U.S. population. Some states have mandated extended dependent coverage; however, the study presented in this article depicts little effect on uninsured rates. The authors suggest that the PPACA 2010 provision mandating expanded dependent coverage will have better success because more health plans will be involved in the mandate. 

Rosenthal, M., Beckman, H., Forrest, D., Huang, E., Landon, B., & Lewis, S. (2010). Will the patient-centered medical home improve efficiency and reduce costs for care? A measurement and research agenda. Medical Care Research & Review, 67(4), 476-484. 

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This article discusses the use of Patient-Centered Medical Homes (PCMHs) as a cost containment strategy. The 

authors maintain that credible research needs to be conducted to evaluate the actual results. 

Steuerle, C. E., & Bovbjerg, R. R. (2008). Health and budget reform as 

handmaidens. Health Affairs, 27(3), 633-644. 

Wilensky, G. (2010). Health economics. Information Knowledge Systems Management, 

8, 179-193 

Required Media 

Walden University, LLC. (Executive Producer). (2011). Healthcare policy and advocacy: 

Cost containment. Baltimore: Author. 

Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 13 minutes. 

In this media presentation, Dr. Gerald Kominski and Dr. Walter Zelman discuss the 

challenges policy makers face in containing health care expenditures and costs.