Q Chapters 7 & 8 in the Policy Textbook Before the midterm we examined two principal government health programs: Medicare and Medicaid and discussed how they had two important outcomes: They simultaneously extended health insurance coverage to millions of Americans who did not have coverage and escalated health care costs. We also discussed the policy debates surrounding Medicare and identified how HMOs and managed care organizations changed the system. We learned that health care reform involves many political, economic, social, and cultural variables. Changes to the system are slow, if at all. Health care advocacy is one method for improving communication, efficient and fair health policies, and inclusivity. Chapter 7 offers a 50-year review of Medicaid, including the shifts in services and eligibility under the program. In 2012, the Supreme Court allowed states to opt-out of the Medicaid expansion as part of the Affordable Care Act. As a result, individual states began to restructure their Medicaid system. The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enacted by the federal government emerges as a way to reduce the number of children without health insurance. However, the growing number of Americans without health insurance continues to rise. Chapter 8 continues the discussion of the uninsured and its impact on the ACA. Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) | Medicaid Watch Video Medicaid, explained: why it's worse to be sick in some states than others Duration: 11:02 User: n/a - Added: 8/1/17 Watch Video Medicaid Defined: How Does the Program Work? Duration: 2:48 User: n/a - Added: 4/28/20 1) Chapter 7 In a well-developed answer, discuss the Medicaid program and how it influenced the American healthcare system (culturally, politically, socially, and economically). In your opinion, what does the future hold for the Medicaid program and for uninsured low-income Americans? Choose a few critical points in the reading to develop your main ideas and avoid providing us with a historical account of the program. Avoid a regurgitated discussion of the textbook. Strive for a reflective and analytical response to the overall content. At this point in the semester, you’ve read enough to synthesize previous content and understand health care debates in the media. Perhaps you have first-hand experience with dealing with Medicaid in NY State. Use citations appropriately in your answer and in a bibliography at the bottom of the post. 2) Chapter 8 provides two case studies: Hawaii’s employer mandate for the provision of health insurance to workers AND Massachusetts’s individual mandate for basic health insurance coverage. In a well-developed answer, compare and contrast Hawaii’s and Massachusetts’s efforts to restructure their health system. Were their efforts successful? Why or why not? Draw from the reading but use your own voice and opinions to formulate your answer. Use citations appropriately in your answer and in a bibliography at the bottom of the post. Questions due by Friday (midnight) Respond to 5 classmates by Saturday (midnight) Discussion board reminders: All posts count towards weekly participation points and are time-sensitive. Late posts submitted in a different week may receive up to a 20% point penalty. Late response posts to classmates cannot be made up and will not receive a grade.