Spring 2008 Course Description
Policy Research Project
This course fulfills requirements for the following specialization(s):
- Public Management and Leadership
- Social and Economic Policy
- Urban and State Affairs
Description: Problems in the health system are becoming a major domestic policy concern. The number of uninsured Americans has increased, as has the cost of health care. Despite having the most expensive health system in the world on health care, the U.S. falls short on outcomes. Quality of care is uneven, and our health rankings are low.
After years of incremental reforms, a few states, led by Republican as well as Democratic Governors, have enacted or proposed plans to improve and expand health coverage to all residents. In addition, business leaders are increasingly recognizing the competitive disadvantage of our health system in a global economy. This has led to increased attention in Congress and among presidential contenders for 2008.
This PRP has as its client the Better Health Care Together coalition. This coalition was launched on February 7, 2007 to promote policy leadership around a set of principles. Specifically, it aims to gain widespread support for coverage for all, greater value, an emphasis on wellness, and shared responsibility for managing and financing a new American health care system by 2012. Its membership consists of the presidents and CEOs of leading companies, labor organizations, and civil society organizations. Notable members include WalMart, AT&T, Intel, SEIU, and think tanks like the Center for American Progress, the Committee for Economic Development, and the Baker Institute for Public Policy. The coalition will sponsor activities and quarterly events through December 2008 to set the stage for legislation on health reform in the spring of 2009.
Students will produce briefing papers, issue briefs, and background material for coalition events. They will assist in the development of the strategy for targeting state and local governments to pass resolutions embracing the coalition principles. They will interact with both the coalition staff as well as members to better understand its theory of change. And, through this prism, they will explore the history, policy, and politics of comprehensive health reform in the U.S.
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