This assignment is to analyze health policy by examining the influence of stakeholders and special interest groups in constructing alternatives to address the issue.
Use your selected health policy problem and the proposed legislation addressing the selected issue from Module 1.
Identify stakeholders that are affected by the issue and also those who will be impacted by the selected legislation.
Propose special interest groups that may be interested in the problem and how they may serve as allies or opponents to the legislation.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Analyzing Stakeholders and Special Interest Groups in Health Policy
Health Policy Problem:
The selected health policy problem is the rising cost of prescription drugs in the United States, leading to financial barriers for patients in accessing essential medications.
Proposed Legislation:
The proposed legislation aims to introduce measures to regulate drug pricing, increase transparency in pharmaceutical pricing practices, and promote generic drug competition to lower costs for consumers.
Stakeholders Affected by the Issue:
1. Patients: Patients are directly impacted by the high cost of prescription drugs as they face financial burdens and may struggle to afford necessary medications for their health conditions.
2. Healthcare Providers: Healthcare providers, including physicians andists, are affected by drug pricing as it influences treatment decisions and patient adherence to prescribed medications.
3. Insurance Companies: Insurers have a vested interest in controlling drug costs as high prices can lead to increased healthcare expenses and insurance premiums for policyholders.
4. Pharmaceutical Companies: Drug manufacturers play a significant role in the pricing of prescription medications and may be impacted by regulations that aim to reduce drug prices and increase competition.
Stakeholders Impacted by the Legislation:
1. Pharmaceutical Industry: The proposed legislation will directly impact pharmaceutical companies by imposing pricing regulations and promoting generic drug competition, potentially affecting their profit margins.
2. Healthcare Consumers: Patients stand to benefit from the legislation through increased affordability of prescription drugs and improved access to necessary medications.
3. Healthcare Providers: Healthcare providers will be affected by changes in drug pricing and availability, which can influence their prescribing practices and patient care decisions.
Special Interest Groups:
1. Consumer Advocacy Groups: Organizations advocating for patient rights and affordable healthcare may support the proposed legislation as it aligns with their mission to improve access to essential medications for all individuals.
2. Pharmaceutical Lobbying Groups: Lobbying groups representing pharmaceutical companies may oppose the legislation due to concerns about potential revenue loss and restrictions on pricing practices.
3. Health Insurance Associations: Associations representing health insurers may have varying stances on the legislation, depending on how it impacts insurance costs and coverage for prescription drugs.
4. Generic Drug Manufacturers: Special interest groups representing generic drug manufacturers may support the legislation as it promotes competition and market access for generic medications, potentially benefiting their industry.
Conclusion:
Analyzing stakeholders and special interest groups in health policy is crucial for understanding the diverse perspectives and motivations that shape the discourse around prescription drug pricing. By identifying key stakeholders and potential allies or opponents to the proposed legislation, policymakers can navigate competing interests and work towards developing effective solutions to address the issue of escalating drug costs in healthcare.
