Funding Health Care Services Scenario

The writer of this work is a senior advisor of XYZ Health Care Organization and has been tasked with making a recommendation regarding how health care expenses associated with the following services should be funded within your state. The recommendations made will then be a part of a proposal that will be shared with state legislators.

State of Alabama

The State of Alabama has several programs funding healthcare. For example in 1997, legislation was passed to make provision of health care to children of families who were not able to purchase private health insurance. This program is known as the Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP) at the federal level and is called ALL Kids in Alabama. It is reported that the original U.S. legislation "provided $24 billion in aid to be used over a ten-year period. The Department of Public Health is reported to be under a mandate to make provision of services for the improvement and protection of the public's health. Funding for the Department is passed each year by the Legislature and comes from the General Fund. When the fund runs short, services have to be cut." (League of Women Voters, 2010) It is reported that funds are provisioned for these services but the funds generally run out before the year is up.

Programs with Private Funding

Health care programs reported to be administered with private funding includes the following...

It is a partnership program between Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Alabama and the Foundation. Every $240 from the Foundation pays for insurance for one child for one year with matching funds from BC/BS, which covers another child,'s insurance. No public funds are used. This is a program unique to Alabama. The Foundation coordinates with both Medicaid and ALL Kids using a common application. If a child does not qualify for a federal or state program, the application is sent to the Foundation for assistance. Eligibility requires that parent's annual income is equal to or less than 235% of the poverty level. All donated funds cover children in the local county. As of 2009." (League of Women Voters, 2010)
(2) COMMUNITY CHARITY CLINICS: Most urban communities have one or more charity clinics, which have been established by private efforts. Each program has its own guidelines. Most are run by volunteer health care professionals who give a few hours of their time each week. (League of Women Voters, 2010)

It is reported that several offices in Alabama make decisions "regarding policy and funding for the various programs in the state. Those programs include

(1) The Statewide Health Coordinating Council (SHCC) -- Appointed by the governor, the Council makes recommendations for development of state health policy. All members are medical doctors. (League of Women Voters, 2010)

(2) Certificate of Need Review Board (CON) -- Requires hospitals, nursing homes, ambulatory surgery centers and diagnostic imaging facilities to have explicit approval before they can operate. (League of Women Voters, 2010 )

(3) Alabama Department of…