Legislation Grid and Testimony/Advocacy Statement Essay

Legislation Grid and Testimony/Advocacy Statement Essay

Introduction

The Healthcare system functions by providing health care services to people. The care should be affordable, culturally acceptable, and of high quality. Therefore, healthcare providers should advocate for legislation and policies that ensure that all people’s health needs, including the elderly, are met. People aged 50 years and above usually have retired and have inadequate income to cater to healthcare needs. Therefore, the Medicare Buy-In and Health Care Stabilization Act of 2021has been proposed to cater to the health care needs of people aged between 50 and 64 years.

Legislation Grid Template

 

Health-related Bill Name	Medicare Buy-In and Health Care Stabilization Act of 2021
Bill Number	H.R.2881
Description	This bill creates a Medicare buy-in alternative for some eligible people and makes other healthcare-cost-related adjustments. Individuals aged 50 to 64, in particular, are allowed to enroll in Medicare if they would otherwise qualify for Medicare at the age of 65. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) set recruitment periods and premiums for the bill’s buy-in option in compliance with specified conditions. The CMS also gives states and nonprofit organizations money for buy-in outreach and enrollment operations (Congress.gov, n.d.).
Federal or State?	Federal
Legislative Intent	The bill sets up an additional opportunity under Medicare to cover cost-sharing for intended recipients; repeals guidelines that restrict the CMS from trying to negotiate the cost of prescription drugs; sets up an individual market reinsurance plan about insurance of high-cost people, as stipulated; and makes perpetual specific premium tax credit increment and expansions (Congress.gov, n.d.). The bill was introduced to build on the Medicare program’s successes and gives Americans (ages 50-64) an upgrade option for affordable, high-quality healthcare. The Act will provide persons in this age bracket with a new choice of buying into Medicare, avoiding the premium increases that many older Americans experience. Furthermore, employed Americans who have employer-sponsored coverage (ages 50-64) who want to join the program will have the opportunity to do so (Congress.gov, n.d.).
Proponents/ Opponents	Proponents: ‘currently, the bill has seven co-sponsors who are United State Representatives. They include; Ed Case, Joe Courtney, John A. Yarmuth, John B. Larson, Peter Welch, Tim Ryan, and Zoe Lofgren. The primary sponsor is Brian Higgins (United States House of Representatives, n.d.).
	Opponents: the bill does not have opponents currently because it is in the health subcommittee. However, it is likely to face opposition from the existing health acts like the Affordable Care Act, which has been in play since Obama’s administration. Affordable care act would oppose this bill because it covers access to all healthcare services, including sexual and reproductive services. Because of the massive wage bill in most states, the law may face some opposition to its implementation (United States Senate, n.d.).
Target Population	The target population is people aged between 50 and 64 years.
Status of the bill (Is it in hearings or committees?)	The bill is in the subcommittee on Health. It was submitted on 04/29/2021
General Notes/Comments	The bill will increase Medicare access to allow those aged 50-64 to enroll in the immensely popular and successful program. It will give more Americans, especially those with preexisting health issues, and endure rate hikes as they approach retirement with a possibility for affordable, high-quality health care.

 

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Part 2; Legislation testimony/ advocacy statement

Healthcare access is a priority among different healthcare administrations. All people, even the aging populations, deserve healthcare access because most are battling preexisting health conditions that increase their health expenditure. Therefore, the aged people, including retired people, deserve healthcare coverage because they lack employment to cater for medical bills. Medicare is a healthcare insurance program covering people aged 65 years and above. Therefore, initiating interventions such as the Medicare Buy-In and Health Care Stabilization Act of 2021will ensure that people between 50 and 65 can access healthcare services through Medicare coverage.

According to a study by Milstead & Short (2019), Medicare is a government insurance program, and the premiums are low. Medicaid also offers aid to low-income Medicare beneficiaries; hence most people retired and with no income sources can benefit. The bill focuses on improving health coverage to older adults, thus increasing access to affordable quality health care services. Therefore, the bill needs to be implemented because it seeks to include the retired and the older people in the Medicare program.

If the bill fails to be enacted into law, efforts to include people between 50 and 64 years in the Medicaid coverage program will be hindered. Failing to pass the bill will deny the older people the right to access affordable and quality healthcare services, making them endure increased healthcare costs due to preexisting conditions.

In handling the opposition, I would seek support from significant nursing associations such as the American Nursing Associations and integrate policies that focus on expanding healthcare coverage. Advocating for the freedom of the retired and older adults to access healthcare services without paying the set premiums can be a solution (Taylor et al., 2017).

Conclusion

The Medicare Buy-In and Health Care Stabilization Act of 2021 is a version of healthcare insurance that covers the elderly between 50 and 64 years. It should be passed and enacted to promote access to affordable, high-quality health care services by the stated age group. The bill will enable these people to get treatment for the preexisting conditions without incurring medical expenses.

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References

Congress.gov. (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2018, from https://www.congress.gov/

Milstead, J. A., & Short, N. M. (2019). Health policy and politics: A nurse’s guide (6th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Taylor, D., Olshansky, E., Fugate-Woods, N., Johnson-Mallard, V., Safriet, B. J., & Hagan, T. (2017). Corrigendum to position statement: Political interference in sexual and reproductive health research and health professional education. Nursing Outlook, 65(2), 346–350.

United States House of Representatives. (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2018, from https://www.house.gov/

United States Senate. (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2018, from https://www.senate.gov/

United States Senate. (n.d.). Senate organization chart for the 115th Congress. Retrieved September 20, 2018, from https://www.senate.gov/reference/org_chart.htm

 

As a nurse, how often have you thought to yourself, If I had anything to do about it, things would work a little differently? Increasingly, nurses are beginning to realize that they do, in fact, have a role and a voice.

Many nurses encounter daily experiences that motivate them to take on an advocacy role in hopes of impacting policies, laws, or regulations that impact healthcare issues of interest. Of course, doing so means entering the less familiar world of policy and politics. While many nurses do not initially feel prepared to operate in this space effectively, the reward is the opportunity to shape and influence future health policy.

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.
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.
Use this document to complete Part 1 of the Module 2 Assessment Legislation Grid and Testimony/Advocacy Statement

Health-related Bill Name

Bill Number
Description

Federal or State?
Legislative Intent

Proponents/ Opponents Proponents:

Opponents:

Target Population

Status of the bill (Is it in hearings or committees?)

General Notes/Comments