Federal vs. State Roles in Health | Instant Homework Help

This debate exercise will prepare you for your role as policy advocates as you contemplate your selected course policy focus. Consider the following policy question in light of the Supreme Court’s decision on June 28, 2012 related to the constitutionality of the Medicaid Expansion provision under the ACA and its enforcement action to curtail medicaid funding for those states that refused to participate.

Policy Debate Question Background:

Congress passed the ACA in March 2010. One main goal of this legislation was to extend health care coverage to the country’s uninsured. The ACA used many mechanisms to expand this coverage including Medicaid expansion efforts. Even though Medicaid is a voluntary program, all states participate. The ACA directed states to expand eligibility criteria to more people and would enhance federal funding for these efforts. The Supreme Court’s decision found the ACA to be in part constitutional and in part unconstitutional. The unconstitutionality of the law relates to the threat of withdrawing existing Medicaid funding for those states that declined to participate. After the court’s decision, states faced a difficult choice. On one hand, Medicaid expansion offers enhanced coverage for state residents and an influx of federal funding, but it also brings an increase in administrative costs and political challenges, as our readings indicate.

Policy Debate Question:

Should individual states be allowed to make the decision as to whether they want to participate in the Medicaid Expansion initiative outlined in the ACA? WHY? If you were the governor of a state what would be the specific reasons why you WOULD or WOULD NOT participate?

You will post your individual response to the above policy question by assuming a “pro” or “con” position on the issue raised. Your response must be substantiated with resource information from the selected readings and from additional academic online resources.
You must include ONE online scholarly resource that you have used for the substantiation of your position on this question and cites from your two course textbooks. Be sure to present background information on this resource and explain how the information supports your policy perspective. Share this resource with your classmates in an effort to further enrich their policy learning.

Course textbook #1: A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis The Eightfold Path to More Effective Problem Solving