The document provides guidelines for a final paper assignment. It states that the paper must be 10-15 pages long, follow APA style guidelines, use 8-10 scholarly sources, and address specific topics related to the future of managed health care delivery systems. These topics include managed health care quality, provider contracting, cost containment, effects on Medicare and Medicaid, the future role of government regulations, and three recommendations for quality changes to Medicare and Medicaid plans. The paper must also include an abstract, introduction, conclusion, and separate reference page.

1. The Final Paper must have depth of scholarship, originality,
theoretical and conceptual framework, clarity and logic in its
presentation and adhere to grammar guidelines. You will select
a topic for your Final Paper related to the Future of Managed
Health Care Delivery Systems, which will be submitted to your
instructor for approval during Week Two. The 10-15 page
paper (excluding title and reference pages) must follow APA
guidelines for written assignments and contain eight to ten
scholarly and/ or peer-reviewed sources, excluding the course
textbook.
Your paper must address the following bolded topics, which
should be titled appropriately in your paper:
Include an
Abstract
which is a synopsis of the overall paper.
Managed Health Care Quality
should address such factors as whether or not patient health
care needs and even preferences are being met; the care is right
for the illness, care is timely, and unnecessary test and
procedures are not ordered.
Provider Contracting
is when doctors and health care practitioners have a contract
agreement through a third party payer to accept a specified
payment for services provided to patients.
Cost Containment
deals with managing the costs of doing business within a
specified budget while restraining expenditures to meet a
specified financial target.
Effects on Medicare and Medicaid
in managed health care appear to be moving in a direction
where both types of recipients will be enrolled in some type of
managed health care plan in the near future.
The Future Role of Government Regulations
, to include ERISA and HIPAA health care policies.
Include

2. Three Recommendations
each, related to quality and change in Medicare and Medicaid
managed health care plans.
Writing the Final Paper
Must be ten- to fifteen double-spaced pages in length and
formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford
Writing Center.
Must have a cover page that includes:
Title of paper
Student’s name
Course name and number
Instructor’s name
Date submitted
Must include an introductory paragraph with a succinct thesis
statement.
Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis.
Must use at least eight scholarly and /or peer-reviewed sources,
published within the last five years, including a minimum of
three from the Ashford University Online Library.
Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the
Ashford Writing Center.
Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to
APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.