Think Tank

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Think Tanks Assignment
1. Identify the organization, and briefly describe its history and mission.
Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) was instituted in the year 1948. In 1991, the KFF was completely transformed in all the aspects including the legal status, programs, staff expertise, the mission and the style of operation for which it is recognized for currently. Its main focus is the critical health issues in the United States and also the role of US in the health policy in the world. It releases information that is useful to the healthcare community, policy makers, the general public, and the media.
2. Describe the education and professional experience of the researchers and authors of the material concerning these entitlement programs (Social Security and/or Medicare) or health care policy (especially Obamacare).
Most of the authors that have contributed to the materials involving Medicare are highly experienced and highly knowledgeable. Most of them have at least a degree in a medical related field, and some of them hold Ph.D. degrees. An example is the Medicare Policy program associate Director, Juliette Cubanski, Ph.D., MPH, MPP. She has contributed to several articles involving Medicare.
3. Summarize the information provided on any one of these programs: Social Security, Medicare or the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), especially facts and statistics on the programs, their participants and finances.
Medicare was established in 1965 to cater for individuals over 65 years irrespective of health status, medical history or income.

It also caters for those people under 65 years but has permanent disabilities. Most individuals on Medicare have health issues such as cognitive impairments, multiple chronic conditions and majority of them survive on modest incomes. The enrollment of Medicare Private Health Plan has been rising since the year 2000 from 6.8% to 19%. Medicare benefit spending in 2016 amounted to $675 billion of which 30% was used for Medicare plans, 10% for physician services, 14% for outpatient prescription medicines and 21% for inpatient services (Kaiser Family Foundation n.p). Medicare is financed through many ways some being the payroll tax contributions, general revenue, beneficiary premiums, taxes from Social security benefits among others.
4. Describe the ideological position taken and discuss the recommendations of the authors at this “think tank” regarding what (if any) changes should be made to those programs.
KFF recommends some policies that can help in sustaining Medicare for the future. One of the options is to adjust the current rules of payment for plans and providers or raise the cost-sharing beneficiary requirements for certain services. The other option is by leveraging the crucial role of Medicare in the healthcare marketplace for the creation of better incentives thus promoting value instead of volume. For example, they can accelerate the execution of reforms involving delivery system.
5. Provide your own assessment of the analysis of the “think tank”, especially concerning the political feasibility of their policy recommendations.
The recommendations from the KFF are on point since they would help in saving some funds thus ensuring that Medicare is sustainable in the coming future. Politically these recommendations are feasible and thus can be easily implemented without a lot of friction from the politicians.

Work cited
Kaiser Family Foundation. Medicare. KFF, 2018, www.kff.org/medicare/. Accessed 28 Nov. 2018.