Tuesday, January 28, 2020

The Medicaid Preservation Act Essay Example for Free

The Medicaid Preservation Act Essay A legislative proposal that if passed by both the House and the Senate and approved by the President becomes law. There are several steps involved for a bill to become act. First the legislation is introduced in house then referred to committee and members from a conference will sort out and will be sent to president. On signing of the bill by president it becomes law (Government, 2008). This is the process of enactment of an act. The present paper is discussing about the Medicaid Preservation Act of 2005 bill. The purpose of the Medicaid Preservation Act of 2005 bill is to restrain Federal funding under the Mediciaid program until the recommendations of a bipartisan commission on Mediciaid is implemented. The bill was introduced in the house on November 3, 2005 and it was referred to subcommittee of health (Medicaid Preservation Act of 2005). The bill aims at the evaluation of the Medicaid act and the recommendations on cuttings or changes in the funding of the act. It is very difficult fort the expert policymakers at state and federal levels to balance the program and maintain it as critical safety net for the policyholders. The bill under 23 commission experts will be promoted through public meetings. Bill came to make sure the cutting planned by the government to cut around $ 60 billions in 10 years is a correct move without compromising the health care. The ways and means of the act should be appropriate and should not be arbitrary based on the budget numbers. (NAMI, February 18, 2005). Bipartisan Commission on Medicaid Bipartisan commission was established on Medicaid to make policy recommendations. The duties of the commission include Reviewing and making recommendations on †¢ Delineation of federal state roles responsibilities not to overlap the functions and on the coordination with the other programs. †¢ On major functional responsibilities 1. Source of coverage for low-income children, pregnant women some parents. 2. Source of coverage or assistance for low-income seniors individuals who lack medical care. As a whole the analysis will be on each recommendation focusing on †¢ Provider payment rates †¢ Coverage of items and services †¢ Beneficiary access to covered items and services †¢ Beneficiary out-of-pocket expenditures †¢ Federal and state expenditures †¢ Program administration †¢ Long term care †¢ Eligibility, benefits design and delivery The bipartisan commission in its report on Medicaid has a clear view on the policy obligations. The objectives of saving $ 11 billon over next five years were given focus. This will ensure longer sustainability of the Medicaid program. The overall expenditures on increased from $ 153 billion to $ 248 billion that means rise of 62 percent. (Medicaid commission, 1999). Anticipated effect of the bill Medicaid is one of the best health insurance policies providing benefits with half the rate of private insurance policies. Cutting the budget will lead to loss of jobs in the health care sector resulting the low payment for the medical care professionals. It will affect the health care centers that depend on the Medicaid. The cuttings should not be arbitrary budget-driven. (John D. Dingell, Max Baucus, 2005) Analysis of the recommendations The bipartisan commission in its report on Medicaid has a clear view on the policy obligations. The objectives of saving $ 11 billon over next five years were given focus. This will ensure longer sustainability of the Medicaid program. The overall expenditures on increased from $ 153 billion to $ 248 billion that means rise of 62 percent. (AMCHP fact sheet, 2005). Conclusion The Medicaid program is a helping hand to the low-income individuals in assuring them a quality health care in a developed country like USA. The recommendation of the HHS bipartisan commission should be carefully analyzed before enacting the act. There is need to have sustainable balance between the health programs and the budget plans then only the objective of social welfare will come true. Reference: Project vote smart, Government, 2008, http://www. votesmart. org/resource_govt101_02. php accessed Dec 4, 2008) 2. GovTrack. us. H. R. 4223109th Congress (2005): Medicaid Preservation Act of 2005, GovTrack. us (database of federal legislation) http://www. govtrack. us/congress/bill. xpd? bill=h109-4223 (accessed Dec 4, 2008)

Monday, January 20, 2020

Comparing Frankenstein, Origin of the Species and Decent of Man Essay

Comparing Frankenstein, Origin of the Species and Decent of Man  Ã‚   I will demonstrate in this paper how Mary Shelley's Frankenstein confirms, and at the same time contradicts Darwin's ideas presented in "The Origin of the Species" and "The Decent of Man." Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is at once, confirming, and contradictory of Charles Darwin's scientific discoveries and views on science, nature and the relation of the individual to society. Mary Shelley confirms Darwin's ideas through Frankenstein, when Dr. Frankenstein and Darwin both reject God as the creator of human life. Although this is a major theme in both works, it is the only similar idea shared between both Darwin and Frankenstein. Darwin's understanding of nature is comparable to that of Mary Shelley; although how the individual relates to society is gravely different between the two works. One of Darwin's admiring disciples, Andrew Carnegie, the author of "The Gospel of Wealth," shows us how contradictory these ideas are in relation to each other. His ideas of inheritance and the conduct of man are in disagreement with the actions of Shelley's Dr. Frankenstein. Throughout Darwin's works the idea of the rejection of God as creator of man prevails. He alludes to prehistoric marine Ascidian larvae, as the predecessors to the later evolved human beings we are today. This would give credit for the creation of man to the process of evolution, not to the handiwork of a Supreme Being. "Species had not been independently created, but had descended, like varieties, from other species"(Appleman, 36). Darwin is showing here what conclusions he came upon about the "Origin of the Species", in which he used science to prove his theories. He is replacing God with ideas... ...heir works, giving the power of creation to evolution and mankind. They also both present similar views on nature, seeing it as a tool for scientific exploration and not as a wonder of beauty as it is often seen today. Using the work of Andrew Carnegie to show Darwinian ideas about the individual in society, we can see that these ideas strongly contradict those which Shelley presents in Frankenstein. Overall I believe that Mary Shelley's Frankenstein exemplifies many ideas expressed in the works of Darwin, enough that they can be considered enriching of each other in terms of comparison. Works Cited: Darwin, Charles. The Origin of Species. New York: Gramercy Books, 1979. Darwin, Charles. The Descent Of Man. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 1998. Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. Ed. D.L. Macdonald and Kathleen Scherf. Orchard Park, NY: Broadview Press, 1999.

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Analysis of Learning Theory Essay

Teaching and education in the church utilizes both the spiritual, as well as the psychological. Andy Stanley and Lane Jones in their book Communicating For A Change discuss teaching the Bible in a clear and concise way that encourages one to change. William Yount in his book Created to Learn examines traditional learning theory and how it applies to teaching the Bible. Andy Stanley has come up with three ways one can approach teaching the Bible. The first way is to teach the Bible to people. This method is just to educate the people about Bible facts. It does not address doctrine or to dig deeper into biblical truth. Stanley states, â€Å"This is the perfect approach for the communicator whose goal is to simply explain what the Bible teaches.† This is not a very helpful teaching method. Just knowing Bible knowledge will not impact one’s life. Change requires application. The second way to approach teaching Scripture is to teach people the Bible. This is the traditional way pastors and teachers approach the Scriptures. It is three points and a poem. Stanley states, â€Å"This goal differs from the first in that the communicator takes his audience into account as he plans his approach.† The third method of teaching is the method the authors present, which is hearing and doing. Stanley states, â€Å"A third goal, and the one I subscribe to, is to teach people how to live a life that reflects the values, principles and truths of the Bible. In short, my goal is change. I want them to do something different instead of just think about it.† This is best summed up when James states to be a doer of the Word not just a hearer, in the first chapter, talks about being a hearer and a doer of the Word. Appling the Word is the only way one will see any change in one’s life. Learning also has a psychological aspect as well. There are various theories on how one learns. One such theory is behavioral learning theory. Behavioral theory teaches that one learns through conditioning. Edward Thorndike has adapted traditional beha vioral learning to the classroom. William Yount describes Thorndike’s law of readiness. â€Å"The law of readiness states that learning proceeds best when learners are properly prepared to respond†¦In the classroom, learning proceeds best when learners are made ‘ready’ – when they are engaged in the subject – at the beginning of the session.† The law of readiness takes into account the environment where learning takes place. By providing the optimal learning environment, the teacher is creating an atmosphere that encourages learning. Learning also takes place through repetition and practice, which is known as the law of exercise. The third law Thorndike recognizes is the law of effect. Yount states, â€Å"The law of effect states that any response that is followed by pleasure or reward strengthens the association between that response and its stimulus.† This theory treats human learning just like training an animal. It does not take into consideration man’s spiritual nature. However, conditioning is useful in classroom management and conduct. Another theory of learning is social learning theory. Albert Bandura is the psychologist who popularized this theory. It has four stages. Stage one is known as attention. Yount states, â€Å"Attention is attracted, intentionally or not, by the perception that models help status competence, popularity, success, or similarity.† The concept of modeling is best described biblically as discipleship. The next phase is called retention. Yount states, â€Å"Retention – ‘retaining information or impressions’ – refers to the observer’s encoding of the model’s behavior into memory so that it can be remembered and produced at a later time.† This is done by mentally storing the information in one’s brain. The third stage is production. Production is practicing the observed behavior and adapting it based on feedback. This concept is learning by doing what one has seen in the model. Jesus sent out the disciples in groups of two to put into practice what they have learned. The fourth stage is motivation. The learning is motivated by their behavior being reinforced. This is done through feedback, both positive and negative. Social learning theory is consistent with the process of discipleship. Mentors are able to model what the Christian life looks like and the disciples put that behavior into practice. A third learning theory is cognitive learning theory. One form of cognitive learning is known as discovery learning. Yount states, â€Å"Discovery learning builds upon direct instruction to help students see the relationships among principles and concepts. It leads to longer-lasting retention of the material, as well as higher self-esteem in learners. Discovery learning encourages the development and use of creative thinking skills, involving formal logic, but more, including beliefs, desires expectations, emotions, and intentions of learners.† Discovery learning is made up of five concepts. The first concept is structure. This is organizing material in a concrete way in order to be taught. It is organizing material into outlines or graphs and the like. The next concept is presentation. Yount states, â€Å"Bruner believed that people possess different modes of under standing, and that these modes were available to learners of any age. He called these modes the enactive, the iconic, and the symbolic.† The enactive mode is learning by doing and seeing presentations. The iconic mode is learning visually by pictures and such. The symbolic mode is learning by describing complicated concepts verbally. The third concept is economy. This concept deals with the idea that providing too much information can cause overload and actually hinder learning. Stanley refers to this when evaluating traditional Bible teaching. The next concept is power. This power is best found in keeping learning simple and concise. Breaking concepts down into formulas or diagrams is helpful. The final concept of discovery learning is motivation. Yount states, â€Å"Intrinsic motivation sustains that will to learn; extrinsic motivation does not. Intrinsic motivation comes from the student’s own curiosity, their drive to achieve competence, and reciprocity – the desire to work cooperatively with others. These are rewarding in themselves, and thus, self-sustaining. The fourth learning theory is educational humanism. This concept takes the whole person into consideration and is learner focused. Yount states, â€Å"Learners are persons; therefore, life-changing learning engages personal attitudes, emotions, and values. The goal of educational humanism was to personalize the classroom.† There are several positive aspects to humanistic learning. One is the ability for teachers to build relationships with their students. This can also apply the modeling concept of social learning. Another positive aspect is the ability for students to explore their feelings and emotions. Yount states, â€Å"In the context of Bible study, exploring personal feelings and sharing personal testimonies are means to spiritual growth as God’s Word speaks, and Bible truths are discovered, personalized, and integrated into the authentic activities of life.† Learning theory impacts how one approaches teaching the Bible. In the opinion of the author, social learning theories, as well as, aspects of discovery learning and humanistic learning are effective in teaching the Scriptures. The concept of modeling is biblical. When Jesus told the disciples to follow Him, He was inviting them into a modeling relationship. This is the call to discipleship. By discovering biblical truth and applying to one’s life, both individually and in community, is how one grows in Christ. Bibliography Stanley, Andy and Lane Jones. Communicating For A Change. Colorado Springs: Multnomah Books, 2006. Yount, William R. Created to Learn: A Christian Teacher’s Introduction to Educational Psychology. Nashville: B&H Academic, 2010. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Andy Stanley and Lane Jones, Communicating For A Change, (Colorado Springs: Multnomah Books, 2006), 93. [ 2 ]. Stanley and Jones, 94. [ 3 ]. William R. Yount, Created to Learn: A Christian Teacher’s Introduction to Educational Psychology, (Nashville: B&H Academic, 2010), 178. [ 4 ]. Yount, 179. [ 5 ]. Ibid., 219. [ 6 ]. Ibid., 220. [ 7 ]. Ibid., 221. [ 8 ]. Ibid., 242. [ 9 ]. Ibid., 243. [ 10 ]. Stanley and Jones, 102. [ 11 ]. Yount, 244. [ 12 ]. Ibid., 313. [ 13 ]. Ibid., 323.

Saturday, January 4, 2020

The Battle Of The Castle Facing East - 1441 Words

William stared over the expanse of greater New Haven from the top of the castle facing east. Black tendrils of smoke curled into the air from homes burning in the blighted suburban neighborhoods of North Haven and Hamden. In New Haven proper, tendrils of smoke from burning tires marking gangland territory twisted over the city and floated over Long Island Sound. William walked to the southern side of the castle and stared out towards Stony Creek. He wondered if his home on Roger’s Island had been spared the looting and vagrant raids of the past decade. He hadn’t visited the island in many years because The Movement no longer provided helicopter transportation, and ground transportation through New Haven and all along the shoreline was rife with highway robbers and gangs. William took a deep breath. The oppressively humid, hot, and stagnant air did little to refresh the capillaries in his lungs. â€Å"You’re asking me to reject everything I’ve believed in and fought for my entire adult life,† William said. â€Å"And here’s the irony of it, you were the one who recruited me at the very beginning. I’m only here because of you.† â€Å"I bear the full weight of knowing that you are part of this because of me. It’s not just you, William; I was the face of The Movement for many years, I helped con an entire nation. I convinced hundreds of millions of people to swallow Edward Birch’s poisoned Kool-Aide. I now intend to spend the rest of my life trying to put Humpty Dumpty back together again.†Show MoreRelatedAvoiding Reality: â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death† Analysis858 Words   |  4 Pagesdestruction of the Prince. Throughout the story, Prince Prospero struggles with his anticipation of death, and therefore uses his mind to create different physical illusions of safety. 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