Assignment Essay Module 5

Professional Development Assignments: (60 points)

1. Managed care organizations emphasize physicians’ responsibilities to control patient access to expensive hospitalization and specialty care, a principle dubbed “gatekeeping.”

Some argue that “gatekeeping” is unethical because it introduces financial factors into treatment decisions. Others say it improves quality by promoting the use of the most appropriate levels of care.

Take a position on this issue and explain your view.

2. If we accept the premise that resources available to meet the costs of health care are finite, and that continuing to increase dollars allocated for health care expenses carries “opportunity costs” for the nation and society, discuss your position on the following: As a national policy should we allocate a set level of resources and apply them to achieving “the greatest good for the greatest number” (necessarily leaving some out) OR should we adopt the individualist approach of “those who can pay get, those who can’t, don’t”?

3. Medicaid is shouldering an ever-increasing burden of cost for long-term care for the elderly, with enormous impacts on state budgets throughout the nation. Discuss alternatives to ease this drain on Medicaid resources.

Although each response is a separate essay of 1000 words, all responses should be combined into a single document for submission.