D223 TASK 2 HEALTH POLICY AND ECONOMICS- LATEST UPDATE
2025
D223: Healthcare Policy and Economics
A Healthcare Policy Analysis
Jennifer Chambers
College of Health Professions, Western Governors University
Instructor: Julie Hawkinson
, UKM1- UKM1 TASK 2: HEALTHCARE POLICY ANANLYSIS
A. Compare public healthcare policies at the federal and state level
1. Describe one federal and one state public healthcare policy that affect the provision of patient care
and healthcare delivery.
One federal public healthcare policy that affects the provision of patient care and healthcare delivery
is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996. This is a federal law
that “establishes national standards to protect individuals’ medical records and other personal
health information.” HIPAA allows individuals to request their medical records and seek
corrections if needed. HIPAA sets requirements for electronic health records to ensure that
providers, insurance groups and clearinghouses safeguard all information.[CITATION USC02 \l
1033 ]
One state of Missouri public healthcare policy that affects the provision of patient care and healthcare
delivery is Missouri’s Mandated Reporter Law. This is outlined in Section 21-.115 RSMo of the
Missouri Legislature. This is a state law that requires all healthcare personnel, including nurses, to
report suspected child abuse. [ CITATION Mis21 \l 1033 ]
2. How each policy works:
The federal HIPAA law is mandatory, and enforcement will be necessary. “The U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) enforces federal civil rights
laws, conscience and religious freedom laws, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability
Act (HIPAA) Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules, and the Patient Safety Act and
Rule, which together protect your fundamental rights of nondiscrimination, conscience, religious
freedom, and health information privacy.” [ CITATION Off21 \l 1033 ] Once a complaint is filed,
and investigation is triggered and the HHS and OCR work to investigate. Fines may be assessed
to individuals or corporations depending on the outcome of the investigation. If needed the HHS
and OCR work with the Department of Justice for criminal cases of HIPAA violations.
[ CITATION Off21 \l 1033 ]
The policy for Missouri’s Mandated Reporter Law is, as its name implies, mandatory for all those
listed in the law. Mandatory reporters include healthcare personnel, teachers, social services,
police, and “any other person with responsibility for the care of children.” [ CITATION Mis21 \l
1033 ] Reports submit to the hotline or website, and this initiates an investigation. Enforcement
will be necessary for this policy. The Missouri Department of Social Services is the administrator
of the policy, specifically the children’s department. The DSS will work with the law enforcement
agencies from local to federal as needed for enforcement. [ CITATION Mis21 \l 1033 ]
3. Federal and state impact on the population
The federal policy for HIPAA will benefit all patients of all ages and is not exclusive to one
population by protecting their confidential health information from becoming public
knowledge. However, the patient population may be negatively impacted due to need for
consent and signatures before releasing information. This can lead to delays in healthcare. This
policy does impact health disparities and health equity as it is a universal policy for all patients.
[ CITATION USC02 \l 1033 ]
The state policy for mandatory child abuse reporting will benefit the juvenile population by
ensuring that suspected abuse is investigated, and action is taken if the abuse is substantiated.
However, the Missouri Department of Social Services may be negatively impacted due to an
increase in reporting and taxing of the department to investigate each report. This could lead to
a delay in investigations and thus a delay for true abuse cases. This policy does impact health
disparities and health equity as abuse is not exclusive to one social determinant of health.
[ CITATION Mis21 \l 1033 ]
2025
D223: Healthcare Policy and Economics
A Healthcare Policy Analysis
Jennifer Chambers
College of Health Professions, Western Governors University
Instructor: Julie Hawkinson
, UKM1- UKM1 TASK 2: HEALTHCARE POLICY ANANLYSIS
A. Compare public healthcare policies at the federal and state level
1. Describe one federal and one state public healthcare policy that affect the provision of patient care
and healthcare delivery.
One federal public healthcare policy that affects the provision of patient care and healthcare delivery
is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996. This is a federal law
that “establishes national standards to protect individuals’ medical records and other personal
health information.” HIPAA allows individuals to request their medical records and seek
corrections if needed. HIPAA sets requirements for electronic health records to ensure that
providers, insurance groups and clearinghouses safeguard all information.[CITATION USC02 \l
1033 ]
One state of Missouri public healthcare policy that affects the provision of patient care and healthcare
delivery is Missouri’s Mandated Reporter Law. This is outlined in Section 21-.115 RSMo of the
Missouri Legislature. This is a state law that requires all healthcare personnel, including nurses, to
report suspected child abuse. [ CITATION Mis21 \l 1033 ]
2. How each policy works:
The federal HIPAA law is mandatory, and enforcement will be necessary. “The U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) enforces federal civil rights
laws, conscience and religious freedom laws, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability
Act (HIPAA) Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules, and the Patient Safety Act and
Rule, which together protect your fundamental rights of nondiscrimination, conscience, religious
freedom, and health information privacy.” [ CITATION Off21 \l 1033 ] Once a complaint is filed,
and investigation is triggered and the HHS and OCR work to investigate. Fines may be assessed
to individuals or corporations depending on the outcome of the investigation. If needed the HHS
and OCR work with the Department of Justice for criminal cases of HIPAA violations.
[ CITATION Off21 \l 1033 ]
The policy for Missouri’s Mandated Reporter Law is, as its name implies, mandatory for all those
listed in the law. Mandatory reporters include healthcare personnel, teachers, social services,
police, and “any other person with responsibility for the care of children.” [ CITATION Mis21 \l
1033 ] Reports submit to the hotline or website, and this initiates an investigation. Enforcement
will be necessary for this policy. The Missouri Department of Social Services is the administrator
of the policy, specifically the children’s department. The DSS will work with the law enforcement
agencies from local to federal as needed for enforcement. [ CITATION Mis21 \l 1033 ]
3. Federal and state impact on the population
The federal policy for HIPAA will benefit all patients of all ages and is not exclusive to one
population by protecting their confidential health information from becoming public
knowledge. However, the patient population may be negatively impacted due to need for
consent and signatures before releasing information. This can lead to delays in healthcare. This
policy does impact health disparities and health equity as it is a universal policy for all patients.
[ CITATION USC02 \l 1033 ]
The state policy for mandatory child abuse reporting will benefit the juvenile population by
ensuring that suspected abuse is investigated, and action is taken if the abuse is substantiated.
However, the Missouri Department of Social Services may be negatively impacted due to an
increase in reporting and taxing of the department to investigate each report. This could lead to
a delay in investigations and thus a delay for true abuse cases. This policy does impact health
disparities and health equity as abuse is not exclusive to one social determinant of health.
[ CITATION Mis21 \l 1033 ]
