NHS FPX 6008 Assessment 4 Lobbying for Change

Lobbying for Change

Student Name

Capella University

NHS FPX 6008

Professor Name

Submission Date

Lobbying for Change

Kimberly Poore Moser

Chair, House Standing Committee on Health Services

Kentucky House of Representatives

702 Capitol Avenue, Room 332E

Frankfort, KY 40601

United States

Dear Chair Moser,

My name is __________ and I am a health care practitioner who has been intimately associated with populations that are characterized by low access to affordable and timely health care services. In most parts of Kentucky, African American residents are still presented with a big problem when it comes to accessing primary and preventive health care, which can be characterized by deficient insurance, provider shortage, and financial restraints. These obstacles are linked with slow treatment, emergency room service, and deterioration of patient health, which puts a lot of pressure on patients and health facilities.

There is evidence that shows the access disparity remains significantly high within the central African American neighborhoods, as the percentage of providers is equally lower than the state averages, and the economic disadvantage affects consistent care utilization (Chen, 2025). These issues represent major problems to the health of people as well as the viability of the local health authorities.

Through reducing inequities in access to care, one would be creating large patient, provider, and health care economy outcomes. Early detection of disease and reduction in unnecessary use of hospital services can be achieved by expanding workforce incentives, primary care infrastructural reinforcement, and the uptake of telehealth services, as other states have done (Ezeamii, 2024). Community-based care model investments help in provider retention and prevent burnout, and are stabilizing the service delivery over time. Otherwise, the gaps in health will still remain, unnecessary hospitalization will increase, and the financial burden on the hospitals that work with the high-risk groups will increase, eventually compromising the quality and equity of care (Hoagland & Kipping, 2024).

An emerging literature links poor access to primary care to higher numbers of preventable complications and unnecessary spending on the health system among African American communities (Konstantopoulos et al., 2023). Research has also shown that preventive services are no longer accessible, which increases the chance of patients turning up with advanced chronic diseases, which increases the complexity of treatment and its cost (AbdulRaheem, 2023).

In economic terms, the cost of avoidable admission to the hospital and emergency care is far more than the cost of investment to enhance the primary care capacity (Johnson et al., 2024). There is also evidence that workforce recruitment and retention targeted funding brings tangible savings because it improves continuity of care and turnover (Alkan et al., 2024). Taken together, all these findings prove that improving access is not only a fiscally viable, but a morally correct approach as well.

My practice has further corroborated the urgency of the need to intervene in this matter. I have seen patients delay their care because of cost concerns or lack of providers, and they generally presented with more advanced conditions, which might have been treated in earlier stages. The trends have some role in provider moral distress and efficiency in care teams. My organization responded to this by creating community outreach efforts and improving telehealth, which helps to increase compliance with follow-up and avoidable readmissions. The experiences have produced specific thoughts for my action: resource planning and risk mitigation, and the need to continue to invest in access-based strategies to keep patients and health care institutions safe.

I would humbly ask that you be supportive of policies that increase access to primary and preventive care to underserved African American communities. Introducing a bill to build on workforce incentive programs, expand telehealth, and include preventive services based on Medicaid would improve health outcomes in reducing the state’s expenses in the long term. These steps would promote equality, improve population health, and make the utilization of health care resources effective and responsible. Kentucky is capable of making some significant strides towards a health care system that is more just and sustainable with your leadership.

Sincerely,

Name______

For 2nd Assessment of this class: NHS FPX 6008 Assessment 2