A Structured Stakeholder Analysis
Stakeholders in the healthcare sector are bodies or individuals that are involved in the healthcare system and are affected by any reforms made to the system. Some of the major stakeholders in the healthcare industry include patients, insurance companies, physicians and pharmaceutical firms. Various stakeholders play different roles depending on their mission. However, they are all aimed at ensuring quality medical care for all. In the healthcare sector, there are various stakeholder organizations that have come up. They are all focused on different issues such as those diseases with no cure or particular groups in society that need assistance with their healthcare. Through this programs, even those who are not well-off financially are able to access healthcare services.
The Stakeholder organization that I chose for this analysis is the Maryland Children’s Health Program (MCHP).This program began in 1998 July with the aim of providing full health benefits to children under 19 years of age. These children are able to receive medical care from various Managed Care Organizations through the MCHP which makes use of state and federal funds to ensure children from low-income families have access to healthcare services. Any children under 19 years who do not qualify for Medicaid, are uninsured and have a modified adjust gross income either at or below 300% of the federal poverty level are eligible for MCHP (Volden, 2006).
Maryland Children’s Health Program ensures access to quality healthcare
Maryland Children’s Health Program is committed to ensure that all Maryland children have access to quality healthcare regardless of the financial status of their families. Children from low-income families benefit tremendously form this program. Through MCHP, they have access to services such as doctor visits, lab tests, prescription medication and dental and vision care. MCHP desires to enable children to grow up healthy so that they can live to fulfill their dreams and even change their lives and that of their families (Szilagyi, 2004). Through this, they give these children a chance for a brighter future and improve their lives and of the community as a whole.
There are four major players in the healthcare sector; patients, providers, payers and producers. Patients are individuals with medical needs who go to providers for medical care. The entire industry exists because of patients who create a demand for healthcare services. Providers are institutions or individuals that provide healthcare services to patients, purchase products from vendors and charge payers for the care given to patients. On the other hand, payers refers to entities that are responsible for paying providers for the healthcare services rendered to patients. These entities include governments, individuals, insurers and private employers. Producers are those responsible for selling pharmaceutical products, medical devices and other related products.
Maryland Children’s Health Program
Maryland Children’s Health Program is among the payers in the health sector. This program pays for healthcare services for children below the age of 19 years who cannot afford quality healthcare. Through the MCHP premium, uninsured children under 19 years of age from families with low income get access to healthcare coverage at an affordable monthly premium through Maryland Managed Care program; Health Choice. Under this coverage, children are able to access even the otherwise costly services such as mental health services, vision care and dental care.
There are various Managed Care Organizations one of them being Priority Partners which is owned by Johns Hopkins. This organization works with MCHP to provide healthcare services to its members. Priority Partners prides itself for making it possible for people from all backgrounds to access quality healthcare. It offers no-cost benefits to MCHP members such as immunizations, doctor’s visits, screenings and X-rays just to name a few. This organization believes in helping low-income families stay healthy which in turn improves their living standards (Volden, 2006).
Maryland Children’s Health Program
The Maryland Children’s Health Program is headed by the Maryland government. The government initiated this program to ensure that children as well as pregnant women who cannot afford quality treatment can access it at low-cost healthcare coverage. The Maryland government is critical to the MCHP since it is though it that the program is able to access federal and state funds which are used to pay for healthcare services for their members. However, the Maryland government is generally important because it holds the key to important healthcare reforms and budgetary decisions which can either improve or bring down the healthcare sector. In order to better perform its role in the healthcare industry, the government could work together with the healthcare department as well as private agencies and other NGOs that work towards quality and affordable medical care.
The future of any society is dependent on its young generation who will grow to lead and open new opportunities for future generations. They are a priceless asset in the community and deserve to get the best even when the families they come from are not fortunate enough to provide all that. The government and other entities have a huge role to play in the healthcare sector to ensure that the fatality rate especially that of children is completely minimized. The MCHP is a beginning for Maryland and a good example for other states all over the world of just how important the lives of the young generation is and what can be done to ensure they are protected.
References
Szilagyi, P. G. (2004). Improved access and quality of care after enrollment in the New York State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Pediatrics, e395-e404.
Volden, C. (2006). States as policy laboratories: Emulating success in the children’s health insurance program. American Journal of Political Science, 294-312.
