Assignment Paper

You are the Chief Operating Officer of a large healthcare system, composed of acute, long-term care, and community-based organizations in addition to long-term care managed care plans.

Given your current studies in health policy and management, the Chief Executive Officer of this large healthcare system has requested that you prepare a high-level briefing for the system’s Board of Directors in which you describe:

(a) factors that have contributed to dramatic growth in health care spending over the past 50 years; and
(b) how health care payment and delivery models are transforming to promote greater accountability for cost and quality in the health care system.
Please conclude your memo with your analysis of the most promising approaches for constraining cost growth while maintaining or improving quality, as well as the limitations or open questions that accompany new reimbursement and delivery models that are intended to promote “accountable care.”

The memo must be four pages in length. Please include references to course readings as well as any relevant outside sources that support your analysis. Citations and a references page (not included in page length) are required.

**You must use a recognizable memorandum format for this exercise—and it is recommended that subject areas be segmented using sub headers. Include your institution’s logo on the first page of the memo (fictitious). Be creative.