Managed Care Plan for Hepatitis A in North AmericaKelly SheltonHCM 3051/28/13 IntroductionThis project contains a discussion on hepatitis A with regard to its causes, symptoms, and diagnostic process. In addition, there is the current mode of hepatitis treatment, Prognosis for Current Mode(s) of Treatment, costs associated with current diagnostics and treatment, Novel Plan for Treating Hepatitis A, and the projected costs of the Novel Plan for Treating Hepatitis A. Moreover, contains the prospectus planning worksheet, annotated bibliography of the sources used in the discussion as well as the conclusion of the discussion. Hepatitis A is a serious disease, which affects mainly the livers of the patients. It infects the cells of the liver and causes inflammation. In most cases, majority of the victims of this disease get hospitalized when the effects are at a severe stage. In such conditions, victims may die if not given due care. The disease, which is highly contagious, is believed to be spreading at a faster rate not only in North America but also around the globe (CDC, 2012). Although it is widely believed that there is no reliable cure for this ailment, preventive mechanisms such as immunization and vaccinations are widely employed to curb the severity of the diseases. Notwithstanding the latest series of disease outbreaks in North America, the rates of Hepatitis A have been constant since 1984. Additionally, the rates can be comparable to those reported in the United States during the years of 1960s and 1970s (Berger, 2011). The American liver foundation notes that the recurring increases in hepatitis A come about in every 10 years in America, but in between the outbreaks, the relatively high rates continue to be manifested. Within North America and United States in general, each state, community and county could be considered having low, intermediate or high rates of hepatitis A on the grounds of epidemiological characteristi...