Policy Position Paper Signature Assignment

Choose either a fictional or already existing health care policy which you would like to see implemented or changed. Imagine that you have been given an opportunity to meet with a legislator to obtain support for your position or to influence his or her own policy decisions.

Read the Writing Policy Position Papers document from The Business Advocacy Fund.(SEE ATTACHMENT)

Create a 1,400- to 2,100-word policy position paper to support your position on your chosen health care policy. Be sure to keep the following in mind:

• You are trying to convince them of the validity and necessity of your policy proposal.
• You are showing the legislator your understanding of the policy development and implementation process and you understand the role that he or she plays throughout
• When you are providing your legislator with your information, be aware of the impact that special interest groups and other politics will have on the legislator's decision. These factors will certainly impact the way that your proposal is received by the legislator.
• Consider the relationship of government to the creation of policy and describe how your legislator's support will assist the creation of the policy for which you are lobbying.

In your policy position, you must address each of the following bullets. It is vital that you address them in relation to your chosen health care policy. For example, where is your policy at within the health policymaking process? What has been done and what still needs to be done? And what information is needed for the development of your policy? How does this differ from other policies being developed? Keep in mind those are only examples of how you may address the required bullets below in your policy position. 

• Analyze the health policymaking process.
  • Consider the following:
    • How the policymaking process will impact the ability of your topic to become a successful policy
    • Which stage of the policy process will be the most difficult for your policy to pass, and why.
• Differentiate information needed for the development of health policy.
  • Consider the following:
    • What data and research indicate a need for the proposed policy.
    • What information you will present to the legislator and why this information will be selected.
• Differentiate key stakeholders and interest groups involved in health policymaking.
  • Consider the following:
    • Who the key stakeholders are and why they are important to your policy proposal.
    • What special interest group would support your policy and why you chose the group.
• Analyze the drivers of health policy formulation.
  • Consider the following:
    • What factors will drive the formulation of the policy and why these policies elevate the issue from a topic to an agenda item.
• Analyze the roles of legislative committees.
  • Consider the following:
    • What legislative committee(s) would be involved in reviewing your policy, their role, and how the structure of those committees might impact the success of your policy in the legislative stage.
• Analyze local, state, and federal roles in the development of health policy.
  • Consider the following:
    • How any prior policy attempts related to your policy, either at local, state, or federal levels, have impacted the development of your selected policy.
• Evaluate the impact of individuals and groups on the development of health policy.
  • Consider the following:
    • How either individual stakeholders or stakeholder interest groups have previously attempted to develop other policies like yours, and the impact of those efforts on the development of your policy.
• Evaluate the impact of advocacy methods on the development of health policy.
  • Consider the following:
    • The impact of prior advocacy methods with regards to your policy and why you feel these efforts have been either successful or unsuccessful.
• Contrast local, state, and federal policy implementation processes.
  • Consider the following:
    • Which level of government--federal, local, or state--would be primarily responsible for implementing your policy, and how the role of that level of government and differs from the roles of the other levels of government.
• Analyze the differing roles of public and private regulatory agencies as they relate to the implementation of health policy.
  • Consider the following:
    • Which public and/or private regulatory agency (or agencies) is responsible for implementing your policy and how that agency's role would impact the implementation of your policy.
• Analyze the effect of current health policy on the health care environment.
  • Consider the following:
    • How the policy would impact the healthcare environment
    • What resources healthcare organizations would need devote to implementing the policy
    • How the proposed policy will impact the cost of delivering care (both short and long term)
    • How implementing the policy will impact the quality of patient care
    • What important tradeoffs might occur if the policy is implemented

Use appropriate references so your legislator may understand why he or she should support or adopt your position. You are encouraged to include tables, graphics, and visuals where appropriate.

Cite any sources consistent with APA guidelines.