The Bureaucracy

Unit 2 – Interactions Among Branches of Government

The federal bureaucracy plays a major role in hospice care and directly relates to my service learning project. Bureaucratic agencies are responsible for carrying out laws passed by Congress, and hospice care is regulated through agencies such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). These agencies create detailed rules and guidelines that hospice providers must follow in order to receive funding.

Congress establishes healthcare laws and funding programs, but bureaucratic agencies determine how those laws are implemented in practice. CMS sets regulations regarding patient eligibility, documentation, quality standards, and reimbursement for hospice care. These rules shape how hospice organizations operate on a daily basis and affect the level of care patients receive.

This connection became clear during my volunteer experience, as hospice staff must follow strict federal guidelines while balancing patient needs. This demonstrates how bureaucratic decision-making has a direct impact on communities and how interactions between Congress and executive agencies affect real people.