Healthcare Plan Analysis
ANSWERS
Background
There have been allegations that health research is not adequately addressing healthcare issues. The adequacy of the mechanisms used to plan investments in health research is a particular source of concern. However, the process by which organizations within countries develop research agendas has not been thoroughly examined. This research aims to understand better the legal foundations, actors, and processes involved in setting research agendas in major public health research funding organizations.
Methods
We examined data on developing strategic plans by 11 public funders in nine high-income countries worldwide. Between January 2019 and December 2019, information was gathered from official websites and strategic plan documents in English, French, Italian, and Spanish using a conceptual framework and information abstraction form.
Results
We discovered that developing a strategic plan is a common and well-established practice in shaping research agendas in international contexts. Most organizations studied are required by law to present a multi-year strategic plan. In some cases, legal provisions may establish rules for actors and processes and areas or types of research to be funded. The decision-making process typically involves internal and external stakeholders, with the latter typically consisting of government officials and experts, with few examples of civil society participation. The process also varies across organizations depending on whether a formal requirement exists to align with strategic priorities developed at the national level by an overarching entity. We also discovered that, while actors and their interactions could be tracked, information, information sources, criteria, and the mechanisms/tools used to shape decisions were made less explicit.
Conclusions
A complicated picture emerges, with multiple interactive entities shaping research plans. Given the complexities of the influences of various parties and factors, health research sector governance would benefit from a traceable and standardized knowledge-based process of health research strategic planning. This would be an opportunity to demonstrate responsible budget stewardship while remaining responsive to healthcare challenges, research gaps, and opportunities.
QUESTION
Healthcare Plan Analysis
In 400 to 500 words, address the following:
• Select a managed care plan such as an HMO, PPO, POS, or EPO and discuss its advantages and disadvantages.
• Explain the main features of a consumer-directed health plan (CDHP).
• Examine one real-life example of a CDHP plan (e.g., Cigna 1500) and another for the selected managed care plan (e.g., Aetna Open Choice PPO) in terms of covered benefits, choice of providers, and level of cost sharing and then determine which one would be the optimal choice for your family.
Support your response with at least two scholarly sources published in APA Style within the last five years.