HEALTH POLICY – A PRIMER
 WHAT IS POLICY?
 A PLAN OR COURSE OF ACTION
DESIGNED TO DEFINE ISSUES,
INFLUENCE DECISION-MAKING, AND
PROMOTE BROAD COMMUNITY
ACTION.
 POLICY DEVELOPMENT IS THE
PROCESS BY WHICH SOCIETY
MAKES DECISIONS.
 SELECTS GOALS.
 HANDLES CONFLICTING VIEWS.
 DECIDES WHAT SHOULD BE DONE.
 PRIVATE POLICY
 CONSISTS OF A SERIES OF
ACTIONS INTENDED TO PURSUADE
PRIVATE SECTOR DECISIONMAKERS TO ADDRESS A LOCAL
PROBLEM.
 PUBLIC POLICY
 IS A SET (POLICY) OF RULES THAT
PEOPLE (THE PUBLIC) MUST ABIDE
BY.
 LAWS, REGULATIONS, COURT
ORDER, ETC.
 FEDERAL LAWS
 MOST FEDERAL HEALTH POLICY IS
ESTABLISHED DURING THE
BUDGET-MAKING PROCESS WHEN
APPROPRIATIONS AND
AUTHORIZATION FOR NEW AND
EXISTING PROGRAMS ARE
DEBATED
 STATE LAWS
 MANY STATE LAWS OF INTEREST
TO COMMUNITY HEALTH ACTIVISTS
ARE THOSE ENACTED TO PUT THE
STATE IN COMPLIANCE WITH
FEDERAL LAW.
 EXAMPLE
 MEDICAID MANAGED CARE LAWS
OR LAWS WHICH CREATE A NEW
STATE-BASED HEALTH PROGRAM.
 MORE HEALTH ISSUES THAN YOU
CAN REALLY IMAGINE….
 THE VAGARIES OF HEALTH-CARE
FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS.
 HEALTH COSTS AND LONGER
LIVES.
 PHARAMACEUTICS
 MEDICAL SAVINGS ACCOUNTS
 MANAGED CARE AND MANAGED
COMPETITION
 THE MEDICARE SYSTEM
 HEALTH INSURANCE ISSUES
 HEALTH CARE REFORM
 POLICY-MAKING IS NOT ALWAYS A
RATIONAL AND ORDERLY
PROCESS, IT IS A POLITICAL
PROCESS.
 NEGOTIATION, CONFLICTS,
COMPETITION
 FORMS OF PUBLIC POLICY
 FOUNDATION OF ALL PUBLIC
POLICY IS THE U.S. CONSTITUTION.
 LEGAL STATUTES, ACTS,
RESOLUTIONS.
 WHERE DOES POLICY BEGIN?
 THE AGENDA OF THE WHITE
HOUSE
 IDEAS ARE GENERALLY AS THIS
HEADLINE READS…
 “THE PRESIDENT CALLS ON
 CONGRESS……”
 http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/he
alth-care
 ENSURING THAT EVERY AMERICAN
CAN CHOOSE AFFORDABLE
HEALTH CARE THAT MEETS THEIR
NEEDS.
 EVERYONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO
CHOOSE A HEALTH PLAN THAT
MEETS THEIR NEEDS.
 IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF HEALTH
CARE
 PATIENTS’ BILL OF RIGHTS
 PROHIBIT GENETIC DISCRIMINATION
 EFFECTIVE PRIVACY PROTECTION FOR
MEDICAL RECORDS.
 SOCIAL SECURITY REFORM
 KEEP SOCIAL SECURITY
FINANCIALLY SOUND SO CITIZENS
CAN DEPEND UPON WHAT WAS
PROMISED THEM IN THEIR
RETIREMENT YEARS.
 WHAT IS POLICY?
 A PLAN OR COURSE OF ACTION
DESIGNED TO DEFINE ISSUES,
INFLUENCE DECISION-MAKING, AND
PROMOTE BROAD COMMUNITY
ACTION.
 THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF
CREATING POLICY REMAIN THE
SAME, HOWEVER, THERE WILL BE
A WHOLE NEW GROUP OF PEOPLE
WITH A DIFFERENT AGENDA WITH
THE NEW ADMINISTRATION.
It’ll soon be Thanksgiving…
 End of Lecture for 6th Period,
November 7th, 2011
 Discussion?
 Questions?