To complete the Work Product Assessment, you will select a recent (within the last 5 years) national or state health policy that has had substantial impact on healthcare consumers. Specifically, you will be looking at a high-impact health policy to analyze the diverse and divergent perspectives that informed its development and then to assess its impact at the local organizational level. You will then write a persuasive letter to a policymaker presenting the perspective of an organization and other stakeholders.

Detailed and current information on health policy may be found on many websites, including those of:

• American Hospital Association (AHA)
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
• The Kaiser Family Foundation
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)
• American Public Health Association (APHA)
• AARP (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons)

After choosing a health policy, select a local healthcare organization that is impacted by that policy. This might be a public agency, a healthcare facility, or any organization substantially influenced by the policy. It might also be the healthcare organization in which you work. You will evaluate the impact of the policy on the organization’s operations and outcomes. You will also write a letter to a policymaker who has influence over the action of the policy. This task requires you to take a large and complex topic (the policy) and synthesize it into digestible information that can be used to inform the policymaker of issues raised by the policy.

This assessment has two-parts.  Click each of the items below to complete this assessment.

Part 1: Policy Assessment

In a 3- to 4-page report:

• Briefly explain the issue addressed by the policy.
• Explain the background of the policy’s formulation.
• Describe key stakeholders involved in the evolution of the policy.
• Categorize which of the stakeholders would be considered advocacy groups and which would be classified as business interests. Explain how you differentiate the two categories and why this differentiation matters.
• Explain the diverse perspectives of the key stakeholder involved in the evolution of the policy.
• Explain the role of various government agencies and officials, including public health agencies, in the evolution, formulation, and implementation of the policy.
• Briefly explain the diverse perspectives of the government agencies and officials with regard to the policy.
• Determine the ongoing role of law and regulation in the evolution, formulation, and implementation of the policy.
• Identify key local organizations and stakeholders impacted by this policy.
• Briefly explain the overarching diverse perspectives of the organizations and stakeholders with regard to the policy.
• Analyze the impact of the policy on those organizational stakeholders.

Part 2: Letter to a Policymaker

For Part 2, identify a policymaker who is a member of the U.S. Congress from your state of residence. If you are from a territory, you will identify the equivalent legislative person. If you are an international student, you may choose any person who is responsible for enacting healthcare policies or laws in your area. You will write a letter to the policymaker that focuses on the organization you selected, for Part 1, in support of or opposition to the issue you selected. Your letter should be written in a respectful tone and focus on the evidence supporting your position, instead of merely expressing your personal thoughts and opinions. You must also provide evidence from the peer-reviewed literature to support your position. The letter should use a professional letter format, including salutation and address.

In a 1- to 2-page letter:

• Explain the relevance of the health policy to the organization.
• Describe the expected impact of the policy on organizational outcomes.