Final Paper Policy Analysis

Sample Answer

Abstract

Populations occupy different geographical locations with varying resources, health problems, and cultures, among other factors. The differences in these factors necessitate diverse interventions for addressing health needs. Policies are uniquely designed to address an issue facing a specific group or the broader population. They could be local, state-based, or at the federal level. This policy analysis paper discusses Florida KidCare expansion through House Bill 121. The policy seeks to improve healthcare access among Florida children by supporting families living below the poverty line.

Impacts include improved access to care and health-seeking behaviors and families’ economic prosperity. Ethical outcomes include equity promotion and healthcare advocacy. Broadly, the policy is demonstrated as a critical intervention when many families struggle financially as healthcare needs intensify. Healthcare professionals, governments, and stakeholders have been advised to formulate and review such policies regularly. Such dedication can improve the well-being of Florida’s children and the nation at large.

Keywords policy, Florida KidCare, House Bill 121, economic prosperity, equity

Policy Analysis

All populations require affordable and accessible healthcare regardless of race, geographical location, socioeconomic status, and other factors. However, these factors continue to affect when, where, and how people receive healthcare services. Since healthcare delivery is multifaceted, governments, healthcare professionals, and stakeholders use different strategies to improve outcomes. Among many ways, health policy reform innovation has been pivotal in addressing healthcare’s cost, equity, and efficiency. At national and state levels, the reforms innovatively address performance gaps in the current policies. The purpose of this paper is to analyze a state health policy reform innovation by discussing its rationale, adoption, funding structure, and impacts.

State Policy Reform Innovation Overview

Like other states, Florida is committed to improving healthcare access to individuals and communities. Its legislators and other healthcare advocates regularly formulate policies to address population health needs of varying magnitudes. The Florida KidCare expansion is a crucial reform innovation that aligns with the advancing health needs of children. In its initial stages, Florida KidCare was established through Title XXI of the Social Security Act and reauthorized in 2009 (Florida Healthy Kids Corporation, 2023). Progressive reforms allow such policies to improve population health outcomes by responding to emerging needs and addressing inefficiencies.

Current Expansion

Florida KidCare expansion was achieved through House Bill 121. The bill’s primary intention was to increase the income eligibility threshold for KidCare program beneficiaries (Florida Healthy Kids Corporation, 2023). To make the policy implementation more stable, the bill further proposed a tiered system of uniform premiums for eligible recipients. Through this expansion, families earning 300% of the federal poverty level (FPL) can have their children covered by the Florida KidCare program (Florida Healthy Kids Corporation, 2023).

If successfully implemented and supported appropriately, the expansion will be instrumental in improving the health and productivity of children in Florida. Continuous review and updates are also necessary due to the changing dynamics of healthcare delivery, problems, and laws.

Rationale for the Policy

Children are a critical population that should readily access high-quality, accessible, and affordable care. Their health and well-being affect family and social stability. Sadly, barriers to health are widespread and impact children’s health multi-dimensionally. Among them, a lack of insurance coverage and the family’s income levels have been significant hindrances as far as healthcare access is concerned. Florida KidCare follows the principle that families should not choose between economic success and children’s health (Florida Healthy Kids Corporation, 2023).

This dilemma emerges when increased income knocks families out of KidCare, implying they would struggle with a full-pay program. Therefore, expanding coverage eligibility would ensure more enrollment and increased children’s participation in the health process.

Besides increased coverage, the other justification for the policy is its focus areas. Florida KidCare covers mental, dental, and physical health. These health dimensions are crucial in the early years of a child, where growth and development should be holistic (Pitchik et al., 2021). Parents also spend immensely on these areas; support is vital to encourage health-seeking behaviors. Since cost is a significant barrier to health among populations, policies that make healthcare more affordable should be a priority for healthcare professionals, influential leaders, and legislators.

Policy Adoption

Health policy reform innovations take different forms. They could be bills, support programs, and federal laws, among other forms. The adoption process of House Bill 121 to expand Florida KidCare followed the ordinary bill adoption process. Commonly, the process commences with identifying a crucial health problem that requires legal intervention (Higbea & Cline, 2019). Such problems could be access concerns, marginalization of groups, and a workforce shortage. Next, a legislator sponsors the bill and presents it for hearing by various committees (Higbea & Cline, 2019). The bill is usually adopted depending on the support.

Florida KidCare expansion proposal was adopted by a similar procedure. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Robin Bartleman (D-Weston), seeking to benefit the working people of Florida whose incomes cannot support economic prosperity and full-pay insurance programs. Initially, the bill targeted families earning 250% of the federal poverty level but failed (Florida Healthy Kids Corporation, 2023). In response, the threshold was moved to 300% before the bill moved to various stages. They include the first reading in March 2023, referral to Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee, second reading in April, and third reading in May (The Florida Senate, 2023).

The Governor approved it in June 2023. Its successful adoption through the legal process underlines its significance from a legal perspective and its ability to impress influential policymakers. Support by legal authorities also makes policy implementation less challenging. For instance, legislators use their political power to ensure that a policy gets the appropriate resources and that monitoring is conducted as required.

The Funding Structure

Healthcare programs require intensive funding to operate efficiently. Florida KidCare comprises four government-funded health insurance plans. The first includes Medicaid for Children, which oversees the support and eligibility of children from birth through eighteen years (Community Legal Services, 2021). The second government-funded component is MediKids for children aged 1 to 4 years. The third component is Florida Healthy Kids for children aged 5 to 18. The funding allows Florida Healthy Kids to provide comprehensive, quality healthcare services for children.

As underlined under the organization’s philosophy statement, children’s insurance coverage is what Florida Healthy Kids is passionate about (Florida Healthy Kids Corporation, 2023). The low-cost premiums allow it to provide child-centered and dental insurance to school-age children at every stage of growth and development. The fourth component under government funding is Children’s Medical Services Management Care Plan. The plan is for children with special healthcare needs from birth through 18 years. Government support ensures that families can get subsidized support, particularly those who cannot afford full-pay plans.

Florida KidCare Expansion Impact

Healthcare policies’ impact varies with their designs and the targeted populations. Some policies are population-specific, while others target the broader population. Florida KidCare expansion’s impact could be better understood from access and economic perspectives. As Jimmy Patronis (Florida Chief Financial Officer) opined, all children in Florida should encounter minimal challenges as far as access to vital healthcare services is concerned (Florida Healthy Kids Corporation, 2023).

Besides, expanding coverage for children from families with financial struggles is among the best state-based investments. In 2021, the uninsured child rate dropped to 7.3% from 7.6% (Florida Policy Institute, 2022). Increasing insurance coverage improves access to care among children. By improving access, all children in Florida can receive essential healthcare services when they need them. Such support is vital for closing health gaps between populations.

From a financial perspective, families’ income levels continue to affect how families invest in children’s health. According to Perreira et al. (2021), low-income families and marginalized populations are the most affected hence the need for support through subsidized health programs. Florida KidCare expansion aligns with this call since it empowers families to climb the ladder toward financial independence. In this case, families will not spend a significant portion of their incomes on health.

Such support further allows families to afford health-seeking behaviors such as healthy eating, screening, and health education. Jointly, these improvements are critical in achieving high health outcomes in Florida and other areas with similar interventions.

Ethical Outcomes

Ethical healthcare interventions seek to maximize social good. They are designed to ensure that a broader population enjoys health and that issues challenging healthcare access are effectively addressed. Based on its current and targeted outcomes, Florida KidCare expansion will promote health equity in Florida. In the current healthcare environment, health equity is achieved when all populations get a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest health potential (Towe et al., 2021). The implication is that the policy promotes health equity by ensuring that children from low-income families receive timely and affordable care. Doing so creates a world where social determinants of health and other significant variables do not hinder child growth and development.

Besides promoting equity, the policy advocates for children’s unique needs. Broadly, advocacy involves actions to support the well-being of a particular social group (David et al., 2020). Such social groups encounter significant challenges when seeking healthcare services, among other barriers such as political strength and ethnic orientation. Advocacy helps to reduce the wide health gaps between low-income and high-income households. It also promotes justice, as underlined in healthcare ethics. Legislators supporting the Florida KidCare expansion serve as health advocates. The advocacy goal is mainly achieved through the Children’s Medical Services Managed Care Plan, which ensures children with special healthcare needs are part of the comprehensive program.

Social and healthcare ethical practices are also promoted through programs characterized by selflessness and the general good of society. Such programs pool resources nationwide and refocus them to fix problems facing specific populations. Generally, children’s health, well-being, and future success depend on the decisions that adults make on their behalf. The desire to formulate policies such as Florida KidCare expansion depicts selflessness and a desire to address populations facing unique populations. Healthcare professionals, political leaders, and advocacy groups should continually suggest such policies. Like KidCare, such policies will help to create states and nations where all populations live comfortably and enjoy health.

Conclusion

All populations require healthcare services when and where they are needed. As a result, barriers to care should be minimal as governments, healthcare professionals, and other stakeholders help people to maximize health outcomes. Health policies are among the most effective interventions for improving people’s health. They are designed to address a specific health concern facing a particular group or the wider population. As discussed in this policy analysis paper, Florida KidCare expansion through House Bill 121 is a unique policy for children in Florida. It improves access to healthcare services through expanded insurance coverage for low-income populations. Its sustenance and continuous support are vital for long-term outcomes.

References

• Community Legal Services. (2021). Children’s health care (Florida KidCare). https //www.clsmf.org/childrens-health-care-florida-kidcare/
• David, J. L., Thomas, S. L., Randle, M., & Daube, M. (2020). A public health advocacy approach for preventing and reducing gambling related harm. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 44(1), 14-19. https //doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12949
• Florida Healthy Kids Corporation. (2023). Florida KidCare. HealthyKids. https //www.healthykids.org/
  Florida Healthy Kids Corporation. (2023). Healthy Kids celebrates Governor DeSantis signing Florida KidCare bill. HealthyKids . https //www.healthykids.org/news/press/?id=2023062201
• Florida Healthy Kids Corporation. (2023). What is Florida KidCare? https //www.healthykids.org/kidcare/what/
• Florida Policy Institute. (2022). Florida uninsured rate stabilizes, advocates raise future concerns. https //www.floridapolicy.org/posts/fl-child-uninsured-rate-stabilizes-advocates-raise-future-concerns# ~ text=Florida’s uninsured child rate dropped,new report from Georgetown University.
• Higbea, R. J., & Cline, G. (2019). Government and policy for U. S. health leaders. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
• Perreira, K. M., Allen, C. D., & Oberlander, J. (2021). Access to health insurance and health care for Hispanic children in the United States. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 696(1), 223-244. https //doi.org/10.1177/00027162211050007
• Pitchik, H. O., Tofail, F., Rahman, M., Akter, F., Sultana, J., Shoab, A. K., … & Fernald, L. C. (2021). A holistic approach to promoting early child development a cluster randomised trial of a group-based, multicomponent intervention in rural Bangladesh. BMJ Global Health, 6(3), e004307. https //doi.org/10.1136%2Fbmjgh-2020-004307
• The Florida Senate. (2023). CS/CS/HB 121 Florida Kidcare Program eligibility. https //www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/121
• Towe, V. L., May, L. W., Huang, W., Martin, L. T., Carman, K., Miller, C. E., & Chandra, A. (2021). Drivers of differential views of health equity in the US is the US ready to make progress? Results from the 2018 National Survey of Health Attitudes. BMC Public Health, 21(1), 1-12. https //doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10179-z