| Course | HA415 Health Care Policy and Economics |
|---|---|
| Unit | Unit 6 |
| Paper type | Policy brief |
| Length | About 490 words, 4 pages double-spaced |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Purdue University Global |
| Program | BS in Health Care Administration |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for HA415 Unit 6
Support the Bill, With a Transition: A Two-Page Policy Brief for a Composite State Senator on Ending the Physician Collaboration Requirement for Nurse Practitioners, Explaining How the Rule Limits Primary Care Supply and What the Change Would Cost
[Student Name]
Purdue University Global
HA415: Health Care Policy and Economics
Unit 6 Policy Brief
[Instructor Name]
[Date]
The state, the senator, the counties and the budget figures are composite and bracketed; the brief is a course model, not advocacy for any real bill.
Recommendation
Support Senate Bill [214] with an amendment requiring new nurse practitioners to practice under a collaborative agreement for [3,600] hours before practicing independently.
The Problem
[42] of the state's [78] counties, including [two] of the [three] counties in your district, are designated primary care shortage areas. Nurse practitioners in the state must sign a collaborative agreement with a physician to practice. In rural counties, physicians willing to sign are scarce, and nurse practitioners report paying [$6,000] to [$12,000] a year for agreements. [Nineteen] percent of licensed nurse practitioners surveyed by the state board said they had delayed opening a practice because they could not find a collaborating physician.
How the Rule Limits Supply
A required agreement works like a fee and a search cost on entering the market. Where no physician is willing, the cost is effectively infinite: the practice does not open. Removing the requirement lowers the cost of entry, which should increase the number of practices, especially in places with few physicians. In counties with no physician willing to sign, the collaboration rule does not supervise nurse practitioner care; it prevents it.
What Other States Show
Studies comparing states that removed physician supervision or collaboration requirements found increases in nurse practitioner supply and in some measures of care use, without evidence of worse health outcomes on the measures studied (Traczynski & Udalova, 2018). In a study of well-child visits, states with looser rules had lower visit prices, while wages for nurse practitioners rose (Kleiner et al., 2016). The evidence has limits: most studies measure supply and use, not quality in detail, and effects vary by state.
Why a Transition Period
Physician groups argue that new graduates benefit from experienced oversight. A [3,600]-hour transition, about two years of full-time practice, answers that concern for new nurse practitioners while freeing experienced ones, who are most likely to open rural practices. Several states have adopted similar transitions.
Cost to the State
The board of nursing estimates [$85,000] in one-time costs to update rules and systems. Medicaid spending may rise modestly if more residents can find care, by about [$1.2 million] a year by the board's estimate, which may be partly offset by fewer emergency department visits.
What Opponents Will Say
The state medical association will argue that patient safety requires physician collaboration. The best answer is the transition period and the evidence from other states.
Contact
[Name], Policy Analyst, [office], [phone].
References
Kleiner, M. M., Marier, A., Park, K. W., & Wing, C. (2016). Relaxing occupational licensing requirements: Analyzing wages and prices for a medical service. The Journal of Law and Economics, 59(2), 261-291. https://doi.org/10.1086/688093
Traczynski, J., & Udalova, V. (2018). Nurse practitioner independence, health care utilization, and health outcomes. Journal of Health Economics, 58, 90-109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhealeco.2018.01.001
Reading the HA 415 Unit 6 instructions
Unit 6 typically asks students to write a short policy brief for a legislator or agency official on a health care issue with economic dimensions. Instructions usually require a recommendation, a problem statement, an explanation of the economic mechanism, evidence from research or other jurisdictions, estimated costs and an acknowledgment of opposing views, all within about two pages. Expect to cite economic studies in APA style, bracket composite figures and write for a reader who may stop after the first paragraph. The brief should be addressed to one person, using that person's district or committee where possible, and each section should stand on its own so a busy reader can skip without losing the argument.
How this HA415 Unit 6 example is built
The sample opens with a recommendation in a single sentence, with a margin note on putting it first. The problem section counts shortage counties and the cost of collaborative agreements. A section explains how the rule limits supply, and the highlighted sentence says that in some counties the rule prevents care rather than supervising it. Evidence from studies of nurse practitioner independence and of licensing rules and prices follows, with its limits. A section on the transition period carries a margin note on answering the opposition, then the cost to the state, what opponents will say and a contact line with a third note. Every section can be read on its own.
Where the points sit in the HA415 Unit 6 rubric
Policy brief rubrics in HA 415 usually give points for a clear recommendation, a concise problem statement, explanation of the mechanism, use of evidence, cost estimates, attention to opposing views, citations and format. Recommendation points depend on stating a position in the first line. Problem points go to data relevant to the reader. Mechanism points reward an economic explanation in plain words. Evidence points require studies with their limits. Cost points go to estimates with sources. Opposition points reward anticipating and answering objections. Format points cover length and headings. Briefs tailored to a specific reader's district or committee often earn the highest marks. Plain words matter more here than in any other unit.
HA415 Unit 6 help from the desk
Policy briefs often lose points by reading like research papers, with the recommendation on page two. Another gap is presenting only supporting evidence and ignoring the strongest objection. Some briefs omit costs. Others explain the economics in jargon a legislator would skip. Put the recommendation first, state the problem in the reader's terms, explain the mechanism in a few sentences, cite evidence with its limits and estimate costs. Then answer the opposition directly, ideally inside the recommendation, as a transition period does here. End with a named contact, since staff often call before a vote. Keep the whole brief to about two pages.
Get an HA415 Unit 6 example written to your instructions
Name the policy your Unit 6 prompt targets and the official you are writing to, if the prompt names one, and attach the rubric. A two-page brief comes back within 24-48h with its recommendation up front, a fiscal note and the opposition answered; the first one is free, and legislators stay composite. The paper above is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Purdue University Global document.
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HA415 Unit 6 questions, answered
Where can I find a free HA415 Unit 6 sample paper?
This page has the full HA415 Unit 6 policy brief for a composite state senator on ending the collaboration requirement for nurse practitioners, with two sources. Your own brief can follow the same two-page order.
What is a collaborative practice agreement?
A required agreement between a nurse practitioner and a physician, set by state law, that some states require before a nurse practitioner may practice.
How does a licensing rule affect supply?
A required agreement adds cost and search time to opening a practice, and where no physician will sign, it prevents the practice from opening.
What happened in states that removed the requirement?
Studies found increases in nurse practitioner supply and some measures of care use, without evidence of worse outcomes on the measures studied.
How long is the HA415 Unit 6 brief?
About two pages with a header block, labeled sections and the recommendation in the opening sentence.