HCS490 Week 1 Assignment

Our health care system changes frequently. In this assignment you will review our current health care system and how it has evolved in the past three to five years. This will give you the necessary background knowledge to complete this assignment and other assignments in this course.

Research different events or shifts in our health care system within the past three to five years.

Select a current event or shift in the health care system from your research that has occurred within the past three to five years. This resource could be from a newspaper, magazine, or journal from the University Library or similar source.

Write a 350- to 700-word reflection that details the changing landscape of our health care system based on your research and selected current event or shift.

• Explain the current event or shift you selected.
• Describe the impact of this current event or shift on the health care system on health care consumers.
• Remember, you, your friends, and family are health care consumers.
• As you think about the impact to consumers, consider the impact experienced when there was a shift from acute care to wellness and prevention and the shift in accountability.
• Explain your personal perception of the current event or shift you have selected.
• Remember, it is not appropriate to share personal medical information and background.

Cite 1 peer-reviewed, scholarly, or similar reference.

    

HCS490 Week 5 Health Care Consumer - Spa Wraps Presentation

Imagine you and your team have been asked to give a presentation at a health care expo about consumers and their health care choices. To accomplish this presentation, your team has decided to select a health care company or product to use as an example during your presentation.

Choose 1 of the following companies or products to use in your presentation:

• Health spa launching a new weight loss treatment
• Insurance company launching a new medical product for the exchange
• Hospital system launching a new diabetes program
• Medical device manufacturer launching a new metal alloy prosthesis
• Select your own company and product with approval from your instructor

Create a 12- to 15-slide presentation with speaker notes that includes the following:

Section 1: General Company or Product Information

• Describe the health care company or product.
• Describe the value of the services offered by your health care company or product.

Section 2: Consumer Information

• Analyze how consumers share health information through the company or the product.
• Analyze the implications of communication methods used when sharing health information. 
• Consider communication from physicians, pharmacies, and consumers when information is shared.  

Section 3: Impact of Outside Agencies

• Analyze the impact government agencies have on services companies offer or products that are available to the health care consumer.

Section 4: Impact of Regulations

• Analyze the effect of health care reform on the health care consumer who uses the selected company or product.

Section 5: Anticipating the Changing Market

• Explain how consumers' options for health care are changing.
• Consider if it will have an impact on the use of the company or product selected.
• Explain how you will ensure the selected health care company or product will be relevant and engaging to the consumer over time.
• Discuss how advances in technology and medicine may influence the use of the company or product over time.

Cite 3 peer-reviewed, scholarly, or similar references.

     

HCS490 Week 4 Benchmark Assignment—Health Care Market

The focus of this Benchmark Assignment is to consider how consumer demographics and health care marketing plays a role in consumer behaviors of selecting health care resources.

Select 1 of the following in your community or surrounding area:

• One walk-in clinic, such as an urgent care facility
• One retail clinic in your local grocery store or retail pharmacy
• No-appointment physician's office

Research the market of this facility. Consider the following as you complete your research:

• Demographics of the consumers who use the facility selected
• The location of the facility selected
• The marketing used to bring in consumers to the facility selected

Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper that analyzes the market perspective of the facility selected by addressing the following:

• Describe the facility selected, including its location.
• Analyze the demographics of the consumers who use the facility selected.
• Include the cultural and generational demographics in your analysis.
• Analyze the marketing approach used for the facility.
• Consider the targeted audience of the facility based on the demographics of the consumers who use the facility.
• Consider whether marketing techniques can be the same when marketing to different demographics.

                

HCS490 r9 Week 3 External_Influences_on_Consumer_Choices

External Influences on Consumer Choices

Health care consumers receive various communications about different health care options. It is important to understand consumer demographics to be able to determine the impact (positive or negative) media, social networks, branding, marketing, and communication play in health care consumer choices. In this assignment you will research managed care plans to determine what impact social media and other external influences have on consumer behaviors.

Research the different managed care insurance plans listed below by reviewing various health care organizations or resources (e.g., Kaiser as an HMO). Consider within your research who might access the health care systems (i.e., age, generation, socioeconomic status, military/veteran, and health care insurance plans, etc.) List 2 advantages for the HMOs, PPOs, and POSs and 2 disadvantages of each of the same in a chart like the one below:

	Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)	Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)	Point of Service (POS)
Advantages	1. 2.	1. 2.	1. 2.
Disadvantages	1. 2.	1. 2.	1. 2.

 

Write a 90- to 175-word response to the following prompts. Consider the information you listed above and what you know about consumer behavior when you compose your response.

1.     Explain the impact media and social networking have on consumers when choosing the most appropriate managed care health insurance plans. Consider the positive and negative impact.

 

2.     Discuss how branding, marketing, and communication influences a consumer's choice when considering an appropriate managed care health insurance plan. Consider positive and negative influence.

 

3.     Explain how communication and education to consumers differs by generations when marketing managed care health insurance plans.

a.     Consider why it is important to communicate and educate differently between generations.

 

Cite 2 peer-reviewed, scholarly, or similar references.

         

HCS490 Week 1 Shifts_in_our_healthcare_system

Our health care system changes frequently. In this assignment you will review our current health care system and how it has evolved in the past three to five years. This will give you the necessary background knowledge to complete this assignment and other assignments in this course.

Research different events or shifts in our health care system within the past three to five years.

Select a current event or shift in the health care system from your research that has occurred within the past three to five years. This resource could be from a newspaper, magazine, or journal from the University Library or similar source.

Write a 350- to 700-word reflection that details the changing landscape of our health care system based on your research and selected current event or shift.

• Explain the current event or shift you selected.
• Describe the impact of this current event or shift on the health care system on health care consumers.
• Remember, you, your friends, and family are health care consumers.
• As you think about the impact to consumers, consider the impact experienced when there was a shift from acute care to wellness and prevention and the shift in accountability.
• Explain your personal perception of the current event or shift you have selected.
• Remember, it is not appropriate to share personal medical information and background.

Cite 1 peer-reviewed, scholarly, or similar reference.

     

HCS490_r9_wk2_case_study_comparisons_worksheet

Changes in health care reform will allow most individuals access to health insurance. As a consumer, it is important to be able to understand and compare health care coverage options. Consider consumers and why it is important to understand consumer needs and how marketing and communication is tailored to meet the needs of consumer groups.

Complete the Case Study Comparisons worksheet.

 

 

Case Study Comparisons

Part 1

Complete the chart below that differentiates the following insurance types. Include 5 to 7 characteristics, as well as the target audience, for each identified plan type.

Plan Type	Characteristics of Plan	Target Audience for Plan
Indemnity Plan
Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)
Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)
Consumer Directed Health Plan (CDHP)
Medicaid
Medicare

 

Part 2

Review the following insurance plans and then answer the questions below.

Services	Bronze	Silver	Gold
Monthly cost	$163	$194	$245
Deductible	$6,000	$4,000	$1,000
Primary care	$35 co-pay for three visits, then 20% of co-insurance	$30 co-pay/provider/day	$20 co-pay/provider/day
Specialist visit	$70 co-pay for three visits, then 20% of co-insurance	$60 co-pay/provider/day	$40 co-pay/provider/day
Preventive care/screening/immunization	No charge	No charge	No charge
Diagnostic test (x-ray, blood work)	$35 co-pay or 20% of co-insurance if co-pay limit is reached	Office visit co-pay or 20% of co-insurance	Office visit co-pay or 20% of co-insurance
Level 1 prescription drugs	$25 co-pay/30 day supply	$15 co-pay/30 supply	$15 co-pay/30 supply
Emergency dept. services	20% of co-insurance	$350 co-pay/facility/day	$250 co-pay/facility/day
Emergency medical transportation	20% of co-insurance	20% of co-insurance	20% of co-insurance
Urgent care	$75 co-pay	$60 co-pay/provider/day	$60 co-pay/provider/day
Hospital stay (facility fee, physician/surgeon fee)	20% of co-insurance	20% of co-insurance	20% of co-insurance

 

1. Compare the plans above. 

·         What are the major differences between the plans?

·         What are the major similarities between the plans?

·         If you were presented with these plans, what would be the major selling points and pitfalls of the plans for you?

2. Read and answer the questions below regarding the two consumers and refer to the Gold, Silver, or Bronze plans listed above.

Consumer A

Betsy has Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. She visits the doctor often to keep her diabetes and blood pressure controlled. The doctor regularly checks her blood levels and prescribes level 1 prescriptions to help Betsy control her diabetes and blood pressure.

·         Betsy is considered a controlled diabetic; she uses her insurance plan frequently. 

o    Compare the plans provided and determine the best plan for Betsy. Remember to consider deductibles and general costs for the services she would be using.

·         For several years, Betsy was really taking care of herself. However, after suffering a broken leg and being more inactive, Betsy has gained weight and has not been diligent about controlling her diabetes. Betsy has found that she is requiring emergency department services and urgent care more often. 

·         If Betsy was considering changing her insurance plan, which plan should she consider? Why?

·         How does the plan she should consider in this scenario compare to the plan choice from the first question?

·         Describe the impact diabetes as a chronic disease has on health care costs.

 

Consumer B

Zach is a healthy 30 year old who rarely goes to the doctor and does not take any medication. He has been offered the insurance plans above. He is considering the plans for use of common ailments (e.g., colds) and for preventive tests. 

·         Compare the plans and determine which would be the best plan for Zach.

Zach has recently been hired as a construction worker and is considering changing his health plan. He realizes that this new job may have more hazards than his last job.

·         Which plan should Zach consider? Why?

·         How does the plan he should consider in this scenario compare to the plan choice from the first question? Remember to consider deductibles and general costs for the services he would be using.

    

HCS490 Week 1 Shifts in Our Health Care System

Our health care system changes frequently. In this assignment you will review our current health care system and how it has evolved in the past three to five years. This will give you the necessary background knowledge to complete this assignment and other assignments in this course.

Research different events or shifts in our health care system within the past three to five years.

Select a current event or shift in the health care system from your research that has occurred within the past three to five years. This resource could be from a newspaper, magazine, or journal from the University Library or similar source.

Write a 350- to 700-word reflection that details the changing landscape of our health care system based on your research and selected current event or shift.

• Explain the current event or shift you selected.
• Describe the impact of this current event or shift on the health care system on health care consumers.
• Remember, you, your friends, and family are health care consumers.
• As you think about the impact to consumers, consider the impact experienced when there was a shift from acute care to wellness and prevention and the shift in accountability.
• Explain your personal perception of the current event or shift you have selected.
• Remember, it is not appropriate to share personal medical information and background.

Cite 1 peer-reviewed, scholarly, or similar reference.