The term “managed care” refers to several different forms of healthcare provision intended to ensure quality care for people in America at lower costs. In 1973, the Health Maintenance Organization Act was signed by President Nixon and funding for HMO expansion was provided to employers willing to provide health insurance for employees. HMOs were the first true form of managed care.
MCOs have gone through many changes over the years, some of which have been beneficial and others that have not been successful.
After a thorough research of credible sources from the Internet, please answer the following questions:
What is the purpose of an MCO?
What are the major differences between MCOs, Health Managed Organizations (HMOs), Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs), and Exclusive Provider Organizations (EPOs)?
MCOs provide monetary incentives to physicians who keep the costs of caring for patients as low as possible. Do you feel it is ethical? Why or why not?
cite your sources in your work and provide references for the citations in APA format
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
Understanding Managed Care Organizations: Balancing Quality Healthcare and Cost Efficiency
Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) play a significant role in shaping the landscape of healthcare provision in the United States, aiming to ensure quality care for individuals while containing costs. Since the inception of Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) in 1973, MCOs have evolved to encompass various models such as Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs) and Exclusive Provider Organizations (EPOs). While MCOs offer benefits in terms of cost-saving measures and streamlined healthcare delivery, ethical considerations arise when financial incentives influence patient care decisions.
Purpose of an MCO:
The primary purpose of a Managed Care Organization (MCO) is to manage and coordinate healthcare services for enrolled individuals, with a focus on cost-effective care delivery, quality assurance, and preventive services. MCOs aim to strike a balance between providing comprehensive healthcare coverage and controlling healthcare costs by utilizing networks of providers, implementing utilization management strategies, and emphasizing preventive care to improve health outcomes.
Major Differences Among MCO Models:
1. Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs): HMOs require patients to choose a primary care physician (PCP) who coordinates all their healthcare needs and referrals to specialists within the network. Referrals are typically needed for specialty care outside the network.
2. Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs): PPOs offer more flexibility by allowing patients to see both in-network and out-of-network providers without requiring referrals. Patients pay less out-of-pocket for in-network services.
3. Exclusive Provider Organizations (EPOs): EPOs resemble HMOs but do not require referrals to see specialists within the network. Patients must receive care from network providers to have coverage.
Ethical Considerations of Monetary Incentives in MCOs:
While MCOs provide monetary incentives to physicians who manage patient care costs effectively, ethical concerns arise regarding potential conflicts of interest and the prioritization of cost savings over patient well-being. Physicians may face pressure to limit referrals, diagnostic tests, or treatments to reduce costs, potentially compromising the quality or timeliness of care. It is essential to strike a balance between cost containment measures and ensuring that patients receive appropriate and timely care based on medical necessity rather than financial incentives.
References:
– Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2021). Managed Care. https://www.cms.gov/Medicare-Medicaid-Coordination/Medicare-and-Medicaid-Coordination/Medicare-Medicaid-Coordination-Office/Managed-Care
– American Psychological Association. (2022). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). APA Style.
