1. Research on changing trends, “particularly as they affect vulnerable groups like the poor and the elderly, and on policy proposals that involve the private health care system” have increasing effects on the healthcare marketplace (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2010). Some recent changes have been major, some have been continuation of previous trends seen through decades, “others depart, sometimes dramatically, from prior expectations about how the marketplace would evolve (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2010). Economic trends and challenges affect not only policy makers but consumers and stakeholders. Lower incomes have led president Obama to sign an Act enabling Medicaid to insure children without health insurance more coverage without the previous restrictions.

As inflation goes up and personal incomes go down, with unemployment rates rising, the number of those with private insurance coverage is going down, and those without private insurance not qualifying for public assistance, the government is forced to look for ways to compare the costs and consequences of those without insurance to the costs of providing them with government and state funded assistance programs.

Trends and indicators in the changing health care marketplace. 2010. Kaiser Family Foundation. Retrieved January 9, 2010
from http://www.kff.org/insurance/7031/print-sec.7.cfm

How do national economic trends, indicators, and challenges apply to health care policy? 150-200 words

2. Primary care providers (PCP) and hospitals are not required to get approval from patients to release private health information for routine treatment, payment and health care operations, under HIPAA. Patient consent might not be required for the use of outsourced billing, teleradiation, transcription, or even intensive care unit service for consultation. While consent for each outsourced service may not be required under HIPAA, primary care providers (PCP) may choose to get consent from the patient. Release and consent could lessen the impression that the provider was using outsourcing improperly.

Singh, J.D, S. N., & Wachter, M.D., R. M. (2008, April). Perspectives on Medical Outsourcing and Telemedicine – Rough Edges in a Flat World?

What are the possible ethical issues to digitalized health care?150-200 words