Introduction
Uninsured and underinsured children population have great negative impact on health and the economic productivity in any given state. In a health care organization dealing with pandemic childhood disease, increased rates of uninsured children population has negative impacts. Children insurance health care programs are very important in any state that wants to experience increased health and economic productivity. Insured children population especially on employer based plans or based on community support services have several benefits hence contribute in the development of state’s economy productivity especially in health sector.
However, the implementation of community support services and proper communication with the stakeholders; the community and the government, can help the organization in overcoming risks associated with increased uninsured and underinsured children population (Henry & Hogan, 2007).
Health care insurance provides increased safety in the health care. With the current economic turndown, most families are cutting down expenses on Medicare expenses, by not enrolling their children in any health care insurance program hence resulting to the increased number of uninsured or underinsured children in the community. However, failure to have uninsured children population poses higher health risk to both their parents and the government and organizations. The economic strain hitting the state has resulted to 2.5% increase of uninsured children population.
Most of the children population that are at a higher risk of being uninsured include; children from minority ethnic or racial groups, and children form families with low income (Lubkin, 2002). Several procedures can be used in reducing the negative impacts resulting due to increased uninsured children population to health care organizations especially dealing with pediatric activities. Some of these procedures include development of community support services, explaining to the community on the impact the uninsured population can have on the state’s healthy and economic development and even to this organization.
How to overcome the risks
Development of community support services
Since most of the uninsured children population are from minor racial and ethnic groups and families with low family income, development of community support services can be one of the possible ways of reducing negative impacts uninsured children population have on health and the state’s economy (Frances, 2005). The community support services employed should ensure they have lowered the eligibility limits to a point where most of the interested families with low income can comfortably join.
Communication with stakeholders
To reduce the negative impacts of uninsured healthcare population it’s important that the organization discusses the condition with the affect group of people. The organization should show the affected population the importance of insuring children rather than avoiding insuring them as a way of cutting down expenses. Uninsured children population has negative health implications especially during a disease outbreak. Since this organization health care objective is to regulate the spread of pandemic diseases, it will be hard for it to achieve this objective unless the issue of uninsured children population is discussed.
Financial Impact of the uninsured and underinsured children population on this organization
The organization has incurred huge losses in trying to regulate pandemic disease in a population with over 70% of uninsured children population and 12% of underinsured children population. In most cases, the organization incurs huge losses after offering their health care services to children from low income families who end up being unable to pay for the expenses. Development of community support services has however had positive financial impact to this health care organization since this support services are able to cater for the expenses which the child’s family can not afford.
Risk to the organization if uninsured /underinsured rates continue to rise at 2-3% over the next five years
If Uninsured and underinsured children population continue to raise by 2-3% over the next five years, the health care organization will be faced with are risk of becoming bankrupt. However if the community health support services are developed and catch up well, the organization will be assured of secured finances (Charles, & Giammona, 2009). Hence, instead of being impacted negative by the increased rates of uninsured children population it will act as a heaven for more families seeking an alternative for ensuring quality health care.
Initiatives for building the organization strength to meet these risks
For the health care organization to be able to overcome risks resulting due to 2-3% increase of the uninsured children population, they need to ensure there are strong communities healthy support services in place that can help its members in paying for the expenses (Smith, 2000). In addition, the organization should ensure they have explained to all stakeholders on the importance of having health care insurance for children especially on regulating pandemic childhood diseases.
Ability of the organization to respond to risks
With the current leadership and management style, an organization’s ability to respond to risks associated with increased rates of uninsured and underinsured children population is not effective (Smith, 2000). This is because the organization uses closed leadership style in managing its activities hence it will be difficult to organization members to be fully committed in ensuring the organization overcomes such barriers.
Conclusion
Analytical summary
Uninsured children population has numerous negative impacts on an organization’s objectives of reducing pandemic childhood diseases hence for an organization to be successful it should device new ways of overcoming possible risks.
However, with the implementation of proper community support services and proper communication with the stakeholders; the community and the government, can help the organizations in overcoming the risks associated with increased uninsured and underinsured children population.
References list
Charles, D. & Giammona, M. (2009). A model for improving uninsured children access to health insurance. US: Health care management press.
Frances, A. (2005). Health for families and populations. Elsevier Health sciences.
Henry, J. & Hogan, A. (2007). Improving access to health care: What can the states do? Michigan: W.E. Upjohn employment research institute press.
Lubkin, I. (2002). Chronic illness: Impact and interventions. Jones & Bartlett publishers.
Smith, C. (2000). Community Health nursing. University of Michigan: Saunders publishers.