This competency assessment assesses the following Outcome(s):
HS230M2-2: Explain how health care policy can impact cost, access, and quality in the U.S. health care delivery system.
Introduction:
Health care policy in the U.S. government impacts the iron triangle of health care, made up of three points: cost, access, and quality. William Kissick first described the iron triangle in his 1994 book Medicine’s Dilemmas: Infinite Needs Versus Finite Resources. Kissick’s “framework is characterized as ‘iron,’ because it is typically challenging — if not impossible — to simultaneously achieve a low-cost, high-quality, open access health care system” (Beauvais, 2021).
For instance, if legislators take health care policy action on one side of the triangle, they will affect at least one of the other two sides. As an example, if a state expands Medicaid, it would increase access to health care, but it would also initially increase costs. If a hospital takes measures to reduce costs, it may negatively impact the quality of care. Writing health policy that addresses any of the points of the iron triangle takes research, time, and willingness to act quickly if the policy has unintended negative outcomes.
For this assignment, you will write a blog post that explores the iron triangle concept and its relevance to health care policy.
Cost
Quality
The Iron
Triangle of Health
Care
Access
Directions:
You have been asked to explain how health care policy impacts each point of the iron triangle in a blog post for your organization’s website. Use descriptive headings to divide your post into sections. You may use this template to get started.
Begin your blog post with a clear and concise definition of the iron triangle. Make sure to explain how the three components of the triangle (cost, quality, and access) are interrelated.
Choose at least one specific health care policy to discuss in your blog post. For example, you could write about the Affordable Care Act, Medicare for All, Medicaid expansion, prescription drug prices, access to mental health care, telemedicine, or you may use the Health Affairs – Health Policy Briefs to review current topics.
Explain how the health policy positively or negatively impacts each point of the iron triangle. Consider questions such as:
How does this policy affect the cost of health care for patients and/or the government?
How does this policy impact the quality of care that patients receive?
Does this policy increase or decrease access to health care for certain populations?
Conclude your blog post by summarizing your analysis and offering your own opinion on the effectiveness of health policies in balancing the three components of the iron triangle.
