Week 1 Discussion Questions for 3/20/2020
History of Health Policy
Introduction and Overview of the US Healthcare System
Federal Government Process and Spending
Insurance
ACA: 10 Years Later
Health Reform
- Summarize the historic events that have shaped US health policy (Dr. Adhatamsoontra)
Introduction and Overview of the US Healthcare System
- What percentage of US healthcare comes from private sources versus public sources? (Dr. Andrews)
- What are sources of waste within the US healthcare system? (Dr. Anyanwu)
Federal Government Process and Spending
- What are the steps to a bill becoming a law? (Dr. Avakame)
- What are the main areas of spending for the federal government? What percentage goes towards healthcare? (Dr. Choi)
- Summarize the federal budget process (Dr. Ciarloni)
Insurance
- Define the following terms: premium, deductible, copay, coinsurance, cost sharing. (Dr. Covas)
- Medicare: What does Medicare Part A cover? Part B? Part C? Part D? How is Medicare financed? (Dr. Duncan)
- Medicaid: Who is covered under Medicaid? What are mandatory services covered under Medicaid? How is Medicaid financed? (Dr. Epling)
- Who are dual-eligibles? (Dr. Hammond-Jack)
ACA: 10 Years Later
- Describe the key components of the ACA and discuss the major events in the design, implementation, and attempted repeal of this law. (Dr. Ishola)
- Which groups remain uninsured after the ACA? (Dr. Jones)
- How has the ACA impacted health outcomes? (Dr. Kotler)
Health Reform
- Compare and contrast Medicare for All, Single Payer, and the Public Option. (Dr. Moyer)
Week 2 discussion questions for 3/27/2020
Health Economics (Dr. Kanakamedala)
Payment and Payment Reform (Dr. Nichols)
State Health Policy (Dr. Punnoose)
Health Law (Dr. Quinn)
Primary Care and Prevention (Dr. Raythatha)
- What unique factors shape the price of health care compared to other goods and services?
- Which of the dozen facts in the Brookings piece did you find most surprising?
- What accounts for the wide variation in healthcare expenditures across individuals in the US?
Payment and Payment Reform (Dr. Nichols)
- How does hospital payment differ from physician/provider payment?
- How do you think you should be paid for the care you provide as a physician? Consider the benefits and risks of traditional “Fee For Service” vs “Pay for Performance” initiatives.
- What is the Relative Update Committee and is it necessary?
State Health Policy (Dr. Punnoose)
- What are the pros and cons of state autonomy in regulating health?
- How can state innovation achieve the triple aim: better quality of care, lower costs, and improved population health? Cite examples.
Health Law (Dr. Quinn)
- Tort Law: (1) What four elements must an injured patient prove to be successful in a medical malpractice claim? (2) What kind of damages may be awarded in such a case?
- What is EMTALA and why is it so important?
- What are the consequences of politicizing Federal courts? Should judges have term limits?
Primary Care and Prevention (Dr. Raythatha)
- Do you have a primary care doctor? Do you need one?
- Should physicians be incentivized to practice primary care?
- What role should retail clinics play in primary care provision?
week 3 discussion questions for 4/3/2020
Comparative Health Systems (Dr. Ryan Lee)
Social Medicine and Health Equity (Dr. Saleh)
Medical Ethics (Dr. Stablein)
Health Workforce (Dr. Safran)
Health and the Media (Dr. Tayeb)
- What health spending lessons can the US learn from other comparable countries?
- Provide brief health care systems profiles for two countries of your choosing. How do they differ from the US system?
Social Medicine and Health Equity (Dr. Saleh)
- What percentage of overall health is determined by zip code?
- Explain the claim that financing of healthcare in the USA is regressive.
- Describe the levels of racism.
- Summarize the key findings of “Ranking the Schools”.
Medical Ethics (Dr. Stablein)
- What forces drive physicians to overtest, overdiagnose, and overtreat?
- In your opinion, is it appropriate to deny some forms of treatment in end of life care?
- What’s a QALY? Do QALY-gains justify flattening the COVID-19 curve?
Health Workforce (Dr. Safran)
- What is a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA)? What scholarship or loan forgiveness programs are available to health professionals working in HPSAs?
- How does graduate medical education funding shape health workforce distribution?
- What tensions exist in interprofessional practice?
Health and the Media (Dr. Tayeb)
- What communication outlets can physician’s leverage for advocacy?
- What elements make an op-ed persuasive?
- Critique the assigned hearing testimony.