Congressional Hearings and Health Policy

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I have attached my response (also presented below) to your question. I also attached a highly relevant article that you may want to incorporate into your assignment. I hope this helps.

RESPONSE:

I will respond to your questions that are to be included in your summary of the hearing. Be sure to read the entire 81 pages, though, prior to attempting to complete this assignment.

First though, I want to make my position clear. I am sure you are aware that BrainMass does not do assignments for students, but its goal is to help direct the student providing enough guidance and information in order for the student to complete their own assignment successfully. Bound by BrainMass policy, I hope the information provided below will help you complete this assignment successfully.

1 What was the purpose of the hearing?

The purpose was to consider ways to strengthen and improve Medicare (p. 5). The goal is one of improving the financial health of programs and ensuring that future beneficiaries will be able to enjoy the security Medicare has provided millions of Americans for almost 40 years (p. 5). Refer to the outcome of the hearing (p.80 of .pdf. file) and the suggested six key principles presented to Congress of how to reform Medicare.

2. Your opinion about the hearing?

This question is asking you for your personal opinion. Be sure to take your time and read the entire article prior to expressing your opinion about the hearing. To answer this question, some questions that you may find useful are as follows: Did they meet their purpose and goals of the meeting presented in #1? If you think the meeting did not meet all the goals, in your opinion, why not? Were some met and others not? Was one speaker more beneficial (and not) to meeting the goals of the meeting? Were any members disruptive or silent on important issues? Do you agree or disagree with the ideas presented by the speakers and the suggestions of ways to improve Medicare? What argument makes more sense?the one for Medicare or the one for Medicare + Choice? Does the argument against privatization make sense? Do they look at all the important issues? Refer to the suggested key principles on page 80. Are they the main points necessary for a reformed Medicare?

Personally, I have not experienced the US healthcare system as I am a Canadian. Saying that, though, using the stated purpose and goals for the meeting as a general criterion, I think the hearing was somewhat successful in "considering ways to strengthen and improve Medicare" (i.e., provide examples from your reading). The hearing, however, initially seemed to be more focused on negatively critiquing the alternative options presented by President Bush and other Republicans (i.e., privatization, Medicare+Choice, etc.) than considering ways to improve Medicare. ...