Assignment: Agenda Comparison Grid and Fact Sheet or Talking Points Brief
It may seem to you that healthcare has been a national topic of debate among political leaders for as long as you can remember.
Healthcare has been a policy item and a topic of debate not only in recent times but as far back as the administration of the second U.S. president, John Adams. In 1798, Adams signed legislation requiring that 20 cents per month of a sailor’s paycheck be set aside for covering their medical bills. This represented the first major piece of U.S. healthcare legislation, and the topic of healthcare has been woven into presidential agendas and political debate ever since.
As a healthcare professional, you may be called upon to provide expertise, guidance and/or opinions on healthcare matters as they are debated for inclusion into new policy. You may also be involved in planning new organizational policy and responses to changes in legislation. For all of these reasons you should be prepared to speak to national healthcare issues making the news.
In this Assignment, you will analyze recent presidential healthcare agendas. You also will prepare a fact sheet to communicate the importance of a healthcare issue and the impact on this issue of recent or proposed policy. As a healthcare professional, you may be asked to share your knowledge, give advice, or give your opinion on healthcare issues that are being talked about in order to make new policies. You might also help come up with new organizational policies and ways to deal with changes in the law. Because of all these things, you should be ready to talk about national health issues that are in the news.
In this assignment, you will look at the health plans of recent presidents. You will also make a fact sheet to show how important a health care issue is and how a new or proposed policy will affect it.
To Prepare:
• Review the agenda priorities of the current/sitting U.S. president and the two previous presidential administrations.
• Select an issue related to healthcare that was addressed by each of the last three U.S. presidential administrations.
• Reflect on the focus of their respective agendas, including the allocation of financial resources for addressing the healthcare issue you selected.
• Consider how you would communicate the importance of a healthcare issue to a legislator/policymaker or a member of their staff for inclusion on an agenda.
The Assignment: (1-page Comparison Grid, 1-Page Analysis, and 1-page Fact Sheet)
Part 1: Agenda Comparison Grid
Use the Agenda Comparison Grid Template found in the Learning Resources and complete the Part 1: Agenda Comparison Grid based on the current/sitting U.S. president and the two previous presidential administrations and their agendas related to the public health concern you selected. Be sure to address the following:
• Identify and provide a brief description of the population health concern you selected and the factors that contribute to it.
• Describe the administrative agenda focus related to the issue you selected.
• Identify the allocations of financial and other resources that the current and two previous presidents dedicated to this issue.
• Explain how each of the presidential administrations approached the issue.
Part 2: Agenda Comparison Grid Analysis
Using the information you recorded in Part 1: Agenda Comparison Grid on the template, complete the Part 2: Agenda Comparison Grid Analysis portion of the template, by addressing the following:
• Which administrative agency would most likely be responsible for helping you address the healthcare issue you selected?
• How do you think your selected healthcare issue might get on the agenda for the current and two previous presidents? How does it stay there?
• Who would you choose to be the entrepreneur/ champion/sponsor of the healthcare issue you selected for the current and two previous presidents?
• At least 2 outside and 2-3 course resources are used.
Part 3: Narrative
Using the information recorded on the template in Parts 1 and 2, develop a 1-page narrative that you could use to communicate with a policymaker/legislator or a member of their staff for this healthcare issue. Be sure to address the following:
• Summarize why this healthcare issue is important and should be included in the agenda for legislation.
• Justify the role of the nurse in agenda setting for healthcare issues.
• At least 3 resources are used.
Required Readings
Milstead, J. A., & Short, N. M. (2019). Health policy and politics: A nurse’s guide (6th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
• Chapter 1, “Informing Public Policy: An Important Role for Registered Nurses” (pp. 11–13 only)
• Chapter 2, “Agenda Setting: What Rises to a Policymaker’s Attention?” (pp. 17–36)
• Chapter 10, “Overview: The Economics and Finance of Health Care” (pp. 171–180)
• Chapter 12, “An Insider’s Guide to Engaging in Policy Activities”
o “Creating a Fact Sheet” (pp. 217-221)
DeMarco, R., & Tufts, K. A. (2014). The mechanics of writing a policy brief. Nursing Outlook, 62(3), 219–224. doi:10.1016/j.outlook.2014.04.002
Kingdon, J.W. (2001). A model of agenda-setting with applications. Law Review M.S.U.-D.C.L., 2(331)
Lamb, G., Newhouse, R., Beverly, C., Toney, D. A., Cropley, S., Weaver, C. A., Kurtzman, E., … Peterson, C. (2015). Policy agenda for nurse-led care coordination. Nursing Outlook, 63(4), 521–530. doi:10.1016/j.outlook.2015.06.003.
O’Rourke, N. C., Crawford, S. L., Morris, N. S., & Pulcini, J. (2017). Political efficacy and participation of nurse practitioners. Policy, Politics, and Nursing Practice, 18(3), 135–148. doi:10.1177/1527154417728514
Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Enhancing Environmental Health Content in Nursing Practice, Pope, A. M., Snyder, M. A., & Mood, L. H. (Eds.). (n.d.). Nursing health, & environment: Strengthening the relationship to improve the public’s health.
USA.gov. (n.d.). A-Z index of U.S. government departments and agencies. Retrieved September 20, 2018, from https://www.usa.gov/federal-agencies/a
USA.gov. (n.d.). Executive departments. Retrieved September 20, 2018, from https://www.usa.gov/executive-departments
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Sample Answer>>>
Title
First Name Last Name
Walden University
Policy and Advocacy for Improving Population Health
NURS 6050
Date
Policy and Advocacy for Improving Population Health
(add an introduction in this space)
Part 1: Agenda Comparison Grid
Identify the Population Health concern you selected.
Obesity
Describe the Population Health concern you selected and the factors that contribute to it.
Obesity is a complicated health problem caused by having too much body fat. Complex health problems like diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure are more likely to happen because of them. Some things that can make you more likely to get the disease are your genes, eating too much, not being active enough, eating a lot of simple carbs, having low thyroid function, and how often you eat. Ethnicity is a big reason why the condition is so common among Hispanics and black people who are not Hispanic. People with college degrees and more money tend to be overweight. Body mass index is used to measure obesity (BMI). If your BMI is over 30, you are considered obese. According to the 2018 health and financial report, the health costs of obesity in the United States are about $190 billion, or 21 percent of the total cost of health care.
Administration (President Name) President Trump President Obama President Bush
Describe the administrative agenda focus related to this issue for the current and two previous presidents.
The Trump administration encouraged the public to maintain physical fitness to achieve overall body health. According to White House reports (2017), the president encouraged people to find a sport they can engage in to achieve the goals of an active lifestyle.
President Obama introduced a campaign using a signature tune called ‘Let’s Move’. The purpose of the campaign was to encourage Americans to embrace an active lifestyle (Thomson & Carman, 2015). The First Lady-led project was focusing on addressing childhood obesity (White House, 2018). According to White House reports (2018), the purpose of the program was to provide families with crucial information that could boost the health of their children (Thomson & Carman, 2015). For example, the First Lady insisted on healthy diets and physical exercises.
Bush administration was vocal in addressing the obesity program in America. The president launched a program called Healthier America (Kreig et al., 2019). The initiative was to boost personal fitness. It encouraged Americans to be physically active, eat healthy meals, get regular screening, and avoid unhealthy lifestyles (Kreig et al., 2019).
Identify the allocations of financial and other resources that the current and two previous presidents dedicated to this issue.
In 2018, the Trump administration allocated $500 million called the American Health Grant (White House, 2019). The purpose of the budget was to implement flexible interventions and address the causes affecting the vulnerable populations (White House, 2019).
Some of the interventions were to educate the public about living healthy and keeping fit. The allocation could address related diseases such as heart disease.
In the 2011 financial year, the Obama administration set aside $400 million to help the groceries and convenience stores in various regions to provide healthier food options (Singleton et al., 2017). The Healthy Food Financing Initiative was important in addressing the health issue.
The Obama administration added another $5 million in 2011 in the Farmers Market Promotion Program to provide grant to farmers and improve their access to ready market for their products (Singleton et al., 2017).
The Bush administration allocated $35.7 million in the 2004 financial year to address the health issue (Kreig et al., 2019). The program involved 22 programs that could involve communities in addressing the health issue. According to Infection Control Today 2004 health reports, the 12 programs that had received funding in 2003 received additional funds in the financial year 2004 (Kreig et al., 2019).
Explain how each of the presidential administrations approached the issue.
President Trump approached the issue by proclaiming National Fitness and Sports Month. The selected month was May in the year 2017, 2018, and 2019 (White House, 2019).
Obama administration launched a program to enhance fitness. The Mitchell Obama-led program was labeled ‘Let’s Move’ (Singleton et al., 2017).
President Bush launched a program in 2002 called Healthier U.S. to advocate for health and fitness of all Americans (Kreig et al., 2019).
Part 2: Agenda Comparison Grid Analysis
Using the information you recorded in Part 1: Agenda Comparison Grid, complete the following to document information about the population health/healthcare issue your selected
Administration (President Name) President Trump President Obama President Bush
Which administrative agency would most likely be responsible for helping you address the healthcare issue you selected?
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Health Resource Services Administration, National Institute of Health, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) (Pan et al., 2016).
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Health Resource Services Administration, National Institute of Health, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) (Pan et al., 2016).
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Health Resource Services Administration, and National Institute of Health (Pan et al., 2016).
How do you think your selected healthcare issue might get on the agenda for the current and two previous presidents? How does it stay there?
Obesity is a national issue that requires a response from the federal government. The issue gets into the agenda of the current and previous presidents since it involves a heavy expenditure of almost 21 percent of the national health budget. The government must keep fighting the issue.
The Obama administration and Bush must have included the health issue in their agenda. The reason is that obesity leads to other health issues that add up to the national expenditure in the health sector. The Obama government had to keep fighting the issue.
The Bush administration included the health issue in the national agenda since it could lead to deaths and other health issues. The Bush government must have kept fighting the issue due to its negative impacts.
Who would you choose to be the entrepreneur/ champion/sponsor of the healthcare issue you selected for the current and two previous presidents?
I would choose the Bill Clinton Foundation and NBC’s Dr. John Torres
Narrative with the Facts
Obesity is a major health issue that affects millions of Americans today. Currently, the fight against obesity takes over 21 percent of the health budget (Rodgers et al., 2018). The expenditure could increase in the future if comprehensive measures are not taken. Different administrations have taken diverse measures to address the health issue and its related complications. Despite the efforts, the obesity cases continue to rise (Rodgers et al., 2018). The policymakers and government agencies should collaborate to devise elaborate measures that will address the health issue (Rodgers et al., 2018). The health issue should be included in the legislative agendas since it is affecting millions of families and individuals and increasing the health budget.
Nurses have a role to address obesity cases in the country. One of the major roles is educating individuals, families, and parents about healthy eating options. The nurse should emphasize the role of eating in preventing or reducing the cases (Ward et al., 2019). Nurses should educate people about the health complications that occur as a result of obesity such as cancer, blood pressure, and stroke. Another role of nurse practitioners is to act as counselors to patients with obesity. Nurses should help the patients to set, adhere to, and achieve the health goals (Ward et al., 2019). The roles of the nurses are crucial in addressing the obesity problem in the nation. Nurse practitioners should act as advocates by pushing for better legislation that will change the narrative of obesity in the country.
Conclusion
Obesity is a complicated health problem caused by having too much body fat. Complex health problems like diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure are more likely to happen because of them. According to the 2018 health and financial report, the health costs of obesity in the United States are about $190 billion, or 21 percent of the total cost of health care. All three presidents have done important things to help fight obesity. The best person to deal with the health problem would be President Obama. The administration took a broad approach by giving farmers more power, making sure people have access to healthy food, and starting a national campaign called Let’s Move. The health issue is a big problem that policymakers should pay attention to so they can make better policies to deal with obesity. Nurse practitioners should be advocates for better laws that will change the way people think about obesity in the United States.
References
White House. (2019). Presidential Proclamation on National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, 2019. White House. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/presidential-proclamation-national-physical-fitness-sports-month-2019/
Thomson, K, & Carman, T. (2015). A healthful legacy: Michelle Obama looks to the future of ‘Let’s Move. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/a-healthful-legacy-michelle-obama-looks-to-the-future-of-lets-move/2015/05/03/19feb42c-b3cc-11e4-886b-c22184f27c35_story.html
Singleton, C. R., Li, Y., Duran, A. C., Zenk, S. N., Odoms-Young, A., & Powell, L. M. (2017). Food and beverage availability in small food stores located in Healthy Food Financing Initiative eligible communities. International journal of environmental research and public health, 14(10), 1242.
Kreig, J. A., Gangrade, S., Rastogi, D., & Daniels, R. J. (2019). Modernizing animal agriculture for a cleaner and healthier America: A policy memorandum to the Congress of the United States. Journal of Science Policy & Governance, 14(1).
Pan, L., Freedman, D. S., Sharma, A. J., Castellanos-Brown, K., Park, S., Smith, R. B., & Blanck, H. M. (2016). Trends in obesity among participants aged 2–4 years in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children—United States, 2000–2014. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 65(45), 1256-1260.
Rodgers, A., Woodward, A., Swinburn, B., & Dietz, W. H. (2018). Prevalence trends tell us what did not precipitate the US obesity epidemic. The Lancet Public Health, 3(4), e162-e163.
Ward, Z. J., Bleich, S. N., Cradock, A. L., Barrett, J. L., Giles, C. M., Flax, C., … & Gortmaker, S. L. (2019). Projected US state-level prevalence of adult obesity and severe obesity. New England Journal of Medicine, 381(25), 2440-2450.
The White House. (n.d.). The cabinet. Retrieved September 20, 2018, from https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-trump-administration/the-cabinet/
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