Identification of the Policy Related to the Team Focal Area
The Medicaid program policy can be related to the topic of postpartum depression in African American women. Medicaid is a federal program that focuses on covering medical expenses for people with limited income and resources (Vanta, 2022). The policy includes medical support for the patients during pregnancy and up to sixty days postpartum (Cussen, 2021). Based on the practical research, the higher rate of pregnancy-related deaths and dangerous mental disorders is among African-American and Hispanic women (Gomez et al., 2021). The issue is extreme, especially in discussing the mothers’ mental health and postpartum depression. Moreover, African Americans are considered to have lower total income than white Americans (Gomez et al., 2021). Therefore, the mentioned policy is relevant for the focal topic because it provides healthcare opportunities for women with low income during postpartum depression.
Description of the Policy
Medicaid is an American government health care program for those in need. It is carried out at the state level with the support of the federal authorities. Medicaid is funded by the federal government and, depending on particular state regulations, by the local authorities (Cussen, 2021). Medicaid’s aim is to provide healthcare and insurance support for people from low-income families, pregnant women, and people with limited possibilities (Cussen, 2021). The distribution of the funds is managed and administered on the state level. Representatives and managers of the program on the state level are different for various regions. The program is connected with the topic by providing help for African American women who mostly come from low-income families and manage postpartum issues, including depression, for up to sixty days. Medicaid is constantly renewed and expanded in different aspects. For example, recently, the expansion of the postpartum coverage period under Medicaid was addressed (Gomez et al., 2021). Evaluating the policy regulations and considering the mandatory medical services groups provide new possibilities (Vanta, 2022). Thus, the policy is directly related to the discussed topic.
Description of the Legislative Process
Medicaid was originally adopted as an expansion of the Affordable Care Act. The government-sponsored expansion was proposed on the federal level. Before the Medicaid expansion is implemented within the legislation of a particular state, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services should get approval from the lawmakers of the state (Antonisse & Rudowitz, 2019). The votes for or against the Medicaid expansion are usually gained by using the ballot initiatives (Antonisse & Rudowitz, 2019). Based on the relative data, in most states, the governors supported the adoption of Medicaid, while the states’ legislature was against it (Antonisse & Rudowitz, 2019). The specific sponsors’ or governors’ information depend on different states due to the federal level of the program.
There are many different ways of Medicaid adoption in America. Each state chooses the appropriate approach depending on the specific regulations and policies. For example, in 2013, “the former Democratic Governor Beshear of Kentucky and former Democratic Governor Tomblin of West Virginia adopted the expansion through executive orders” (Antonisse & Rudowitz, 2019). The other possible variant is the adoption through using the standard legislative process. Minnesota and Maryland focused on passing the legislation regulating the adoption of Medicaid in 2013 (Antonisse & Rudowitz, 2019). The main drawbacks of the Medicaid adoption in some states were the economic difficulties and significant budget spending. The discussion of the positive aspects of the policy implementation was more extensive. The development of healthcare opportunities for people in need is one of the most significant benefits of the program.
References
Antonisse, L., & Rudowitz, R. (2019). An overview of state approaches to adopting the Medicaid expansion. KFF. Web.
Cussen, M. (2021). How much Medicaid and Medicare cost Americans. Investopedia. Web.
Gomez, I., Ivette, U., & Salganicoff, A. (2021). Expanding postpartum Medicaid coverage. KFF. Web.
Vanta, B. (2022). A beginner’s guide to Medicaid. Caring.Com. Web.