Health Policy and Public Policy
Spring 2011
10:832:338
NOTE: This syllabus is subject to change. .
Last Update: 8/11
Instructor: Marci Berger MA, MPH, PhD Candidate
E-mail: mberger@usrealestateacq.com
Phone: 732-603-9375
Office Hours: By Appointment
Overview:
This class focuses on how healthcare policies are created in the public realm and
the ramifications of those policies. We will study the policy process and the
players who impact the decisionmaking process. Then we will look at selected
health issues, including the new health care reform law and analyze how and
why these policies were created.
We will use readings, news articles, discussions and visual aids including movies
and clips from the internet to examine this process. Since health care reform is
a dynamic process, please note that your assigned readings may change weekly
to capture the up-to-date health reforming happenings.
This course includes lectures, class discussions, group projects, written
assignments, quizzes and a final exam. Discussion and class participation are
key components to this class. I will repeat – DISCUSSION and CLASS
PARTICIPATION ARE KEY COMPONENTS TO THIS CLASS. Class
participation comprises 40% of the final grade.
By the end of the class, students should understand the following:
1. The roles of the three branches of government in the policymaking
process
2. How and Why deliberation is part of the policy process – at least two sides
to each issue
3. The framework of the health care reform law
4. The 5 players in the policy process and how they impact health policy
5. Some theories in the policymaking process and how they apply to health
initiatives
6. Understand how the “case study” issues we discuss in class fit in with
these major themes.
Required Texts and Readings:
Textbooks. There are 3 books required for this class. These books will be
supplemented by other readings including journal, newspaper or magazine
articles and will vary from week to week.
* Shi, Lieju and Douglas Singh. “Essentials of the U.S. Health Care System” 2nd edition,
2010. ISBN 9780763763860
* McDonough, John E. “Experiencing Politics: A Legislator’s Stories of Government
and Health Care” 2000. ISBN 0520224116
* Rosenthal, A. “Engines of Democracy: Politics and Policymaking in State
Legislatures” 2009. ISBN 9780872894594
Additionally, we will view relevant movies or clips from the internet.
Articles: In addition to the texts, you will be assigned a number of articles each
week. These articles may be from a newspaper, a website or an academic
journal and vary in length. Newspaper article are often short, while journal
articles tend to run a number of pages.
I will provide citations for the articles, not direct links. With few
exceptions, the articles will not be posted on SAKAI. Although this is
not a research class, I expect every student to be able to locate an
article when given the citation. These are skills that college students should
possess. It is your responsibility to print copies of the articles, read them prior to
class and bring them to class for discussion.
Tips on finding the assigned articles: Every student has access to the Rutgers
University Library databases and research tools. Use them! Some of the articles
will not be accessible through Google. Some databases you may find of
particular help include:
Access World News
EBSCO
JSTOR
Occasionally, an article is particularly difficult to find, or the citation is incorrect.
Please let me know if you have trouble locating a particular article.
Grading
Grading is based on performance on 1 exam, 1 policy memo, a final presentation
and class participation. In-class assignments are to be expected and will be
factored into the final grade. All materials covered by the texts, class
discussions, videos, special readings, lectures and guest lecturers are to be
expected on the exams.
Breakdown of grading:
Exam:
Policy Memo:
Class Participation:
Final Presentation:
20%
20%
40%
20%
Any questions regarding the grading of exams, quizzes, group projects or policy
memos must be brought to Ms. Berger’s attention within 2 DAYS after receipt
back of the grade in question.
Absences:
Class participation is a key element of this class. Discussions and lectures will
touch on points not covered by the lecture notes, so attending each class is
important as is taking notes during class. If you expect to miss one or two
classes, please use the University absence reporting website,
https://sims.rutgers.edu/ssra/ to indicate the date and reason for your absence.
An email is automatically sent to me.
Since this class meets only once per week, missing one class means missing a lot
of information. Each student is responsible for making up any missed work as
well as obtaining the class notes for that day from a classmate.
Assignments:
All assignments that are to be handed in are due at the beginning of the class
period. Unless otherwise noted, assignments are to be handed in by hard copy,
NOT e-mail. Late assignments will lose one full grade for each day they
are late. Extension requests must be discussed no less than 3 days in advance
of the due date.
Exam:
The final exam for this class is given on the last regularly schedule day
of class. Exam date clashes must be discussed AT LEAST TWO WEEKS
IN ADVANCE of scheduled testing date. ONE alternative testing date will be
offered for use by ALL students. Requests for an alternative date received less
than this time period will not be honored except for extreme circumstances.
Only valid exam clashes will be grounds for utilizing the alternative date such as
a conflict with another exam. Family social engagements and volunteer activities
are NOT legitimate conflict reasons.
If there is serious illness or an emergency on the day of the exam, contact Ms.
Berger IMMEDIATELY. Failure to make alternative arrangements prior to
an exam or a paper due date will result in a failure for that exam or
paper. There are no make-up exams for unexcused absences.
Policy Memo:
You will have one short policy memo to write during the semester. A separate
handout detailing this assignment will be distributed in class.
Group Projects:
You will have one final group project to be presented at the end of the semester.
You will be responsible for meeting with your group outside of class time.
Attendance is MANADTORY for all students on the designated final presentation
days whether you are presenting or not.
Use of electronics in class:
Laptops are to be used by students for notetaking only. Please do not surf the
net or send e-mails during class. Cellphones must be turned OFF during class
time. Texting and/or sending e-mails during class time will not be tolerated.
E-mail:
I do my best to check e-mail daily. Please make sure you include the following:
a greeting (such as “Dear Professor Berger” or “Hello Ms. Berger”); the class
name (I teach more than one class); and please sign off with your name.
Coursework Requirements:
Rutgers University Policy on Academic Integrity applies to all coursework.
Students in this class and in all courses at Rutgers University are expected to
uphold the highest standards of academic integrity. Cheating, plagarism in
written work, receiving and providing unauthorized assistance and sabotaging
the work of others are among the behaviors that constitute violations of the
Policy on Academic Integrity. You are expected to be familiar with this policy.
If you are not familiar with this policy, please review it at:
http://ctaar.rutgers.edu/integrity/policy.html.
You are expected to complete the assigned readings prior to class to be able to
participate in a class discussion.
Academic Misconduct: A Bloustein School Perspective
Academic misconduct includes cheating, plagiarism, failure to cite sources,
fabrication and falsification, stealing ideas, and deliberate slanting of research
designs to achieve a pre-conceived result. We talk abut misconduct and ethical
behavior in classes and expectations are set forth in student handbooks and
catalogues. Penalties for misconduct can range from failing an assignment/exam
or dismissal from the university.
The Bloustein School is appending this memorandum to your course syllabus
because we recently have detected obvious cases of plagiarism. We have found
far fewer cases of other forms of academic misconduct, but we find several every
year. It is imperative that you understand that unethical academic conduct is
intolerable, and it is completely preventable.
Academic misconduct almost always happens for two reasons. One is ignorance
of academic rules and practices. For example, in virtually every recent plagiarism
case in the School, material has been taken from an Internet site and placed in
text without appropriate note or attribution. You must learn the proper rules for
attribution. If you are not sure, ask your instructor! If you do not know the rules
that govern the use of data sets, attribution, analysis and reporting of these sets,
the faculty will help you. There is no such thing as a stupid question regarding
this subject.
Pressure is the second common reason for academic misconduct. Students,
faculty, every one of us is subject to deadline, financial, self-worth, peer, and
other pressures. If you are potentially allowing pressure to drive you to
misconduct, please step back and resist that urge. You can cope with pressure in
a positive way by reaching out to friends, counselors, and faculty members.
Within the Bloustein School community, you will find understanding people and
positive direction.
The Bloustein School plays an important role in the planning and public policy
agenda. Our work and our students must be above reproach.
SCHEDULE/ASSIGNMENTS
Lecture 1.
September 6 – Introduction To Health Policy
Assignments: Rosenthal, Chapter 1 pp. 8-29
Shi & Singh, Chapter 13 pp. 299-312
McDonough, Chapter 1 pp. 19 -29; 43-45
Please read and bring the following articles to class with you:
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New York Times (NYT): “In Health Law, Old Arguments Get New
Airing” by David Leonhardt, 12/15/10
NYT: “If Only Laws Were Like Sausages” by Robert Pear, 12/5/10
Center for Health Improvement: Health Policy Guide:
“Understanding the Policy Process” found at
www.healthpolicyguide.org/advocacy.asp?id=5207
Chapter from History and Health Policy in the United States – Chapter 1,
Anticipated Consequences: Historians, History and Health Policy
by Charles Rosenberg - found on SAKAI
Lecture 2
September 13 – The Policymaking Process, Part 1: Checks and
Balances through the three Branches of Government
Final presentation handout
Assignments: Rosenthal,
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Chapter 4 pp. 116-128
Chapter 10 pp. 342-366
Chapter 12 pp. 413-439
Articles:
NYT : “GOP to Fight Health Law with Purse Strings” by Robert Pear,
11/7/10
NYT Magazine: “Taking the Hill” by Matt Bai, 6/7/09
NYT: “Rule Makers Emerge From the Shadows” by Eric Lichtblau and Robert
Pear, 12/9/10
NYT: “A Life’s Value? It May Depend on the Agency” by Binyamin
Appelbaum, 2/17/11
Huffingtonpost.com: “Health Care Reform Lawsuit to be Heard by Appeals
Court” by Greg Bluestein, 6/4/11
Lecture 3
September 20 – The Policymaking Process, Part 2: Deliberation and
Conflict, The History of Health Insurance and Federalism
Policy memo handout
Assignments: Shi and Singh, Chapter 13. pp. 299 – 310
Chapter 6, pp. 133-146
Rosenthal,
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Chapter 10 pp. 362-367
Chapter 11 pp. 373- 404
Articles:
Nathan, Richard. “Federalism and Health Policy” Health Affairs, Vol. 24
# 6 (2005): 1458-1466
Morone, James A. “Morality, Politics and Health Policy” Chapter 1 from Policy
Challenges in Modern Healthcare. Rutgers University Press, 2005. Available
online at www.investigatorawards.org/publications/policy-challenges/
NYT: “Arizona Asks to Set Fines for Risks” by Marc Lacey, 4/2/11
NYT: “Under Arizona Plan, Smokers and Obese Pay Medicaid Fee” by
Timothy Williams, 5/31/11
S.L.: “Crime and Punishment in Norway” in Perspectives Section, 7/31/11
Lecture 4
September 27 - The Road to Health Care Reform, Part 1: The Oregon
Plan, The Clinton Plan, Policymaking Theories
Final Presentations finalized – Topics and Groups
Assignments: McDonough, Chapter 2 pp. 46-58
Chapter 3 pp. 83-93
Chapter 6 (entire chapter)
Chapter 7 (entire chapter)
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Articles:
Newsweek: “Health Care As A Civil Right” by Johnathan Alter, 8/24&31,
2009
Steinmo, Sven and Jon Watts: “It’s the Institutions, Stupid!” Why
Comprehensive National Health Insurance Always Fails in America” Journal
of Health Politics, Policy and Law, Vol. 20 # 2, (1995) (long article!)
Lecture 5
October 4 - –The Road to Health Care Reform, Part 2: The Patient
Protection and Affordability Act: The end of the road, or just the
beginning? Plus the role of Technology
Topic finalized for policy memo
Assignments: Shi and Singh, Chapter 5,
Chapter 14
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pp. 105-124
pp. 343-344
Articles:
NYT: “A Policy Debacle and its Lessons” by Jackie Calms, 9/6/09
NYT: “Judges Weigh Limits of Health Law’s Powers” by Kevin Sack, 6/9/11
NYT Magazine: “Metric Mania: Do We Expect Too Much from our Data?”
John Allen Paulos, 5/16/10
Iglehart, John. “The Political Fight Over Comparative Effectiveness
Research” in Health Affairs, vol. 29 no. 10 pp. 1757-1760 (October 2010)
Webmd.com: “Technology Plays Key Role in Health Care Reform” by
Denise Mann, reviewed 12/2/09
Lecture 6
October 11 – Players in the Process: Interest Groups and The Public
Assignments: McDonough,
Rosenthal,
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Chapter 9 pp. 311-322
Chapter 5 pp. 140 – 179 (whole chapter)
Articles:
Casscells, S. Ward, et al. “Americans on Health Care Reform: Results from
Polls Conducted with Zogby International, Inc” Transactions of the
American Clinical and Climatological Association, Jan. 1, 2010, Vol.
121 (note: use either Ovid or EBSCO database to search, or type title into the “Searchlight”
option at RU Libraries)
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New Jersey Law Journal: “Is Health Care Reform Unconstitutional?” by
Andrew Coan, 1/31/11
Thehill.com: Healthwatch blog – “Healthcare Lobbyists Seek to Repair
Relationship with Republicans” by Julian Pecquet, 10/12/10
Newsweek: “We Need More Lobbyists” by Nick Allard, 2/22/10
Lake, Celinda et al. “Health Care In the 2008 Election: Engaging the Voters”
Health Affairs, 27 #3 (2008) 693-698.
MOVIE: Thank You for Smoking
Lecture 7
October 18 – Players in the Process: The Media
Policy memo due
Assignments:
no text!
Articles:
* “The Influence of The Mass Media on Health Policy” by Alan Otten.
Health Affairs, Winter 1992
* “A Study of Media Coverage of Health Policy 1997-2000” Columbia
Journalism Review, Jan/Feb 2002 by Mollyann Brodie et al.
* “A Content Analysis of News Coverage of the HPV Vaccine by U.S.
Newspapers, January 2002-June 2005” Journal of Women’s Health Vol. 14,
# 7, 2006 by Crystal Calloway, Cynthia Jorgensen et. al
* healthpolicyandreform.nejm.org: “Pharmaceutical Marketing and the
New Social Media” by Jeremy Greene and Aaron Kesselheim, 11/24/10
* “Could the Media Derail Health Care Reform?” by Niko Karvounis, 1/7/09.
Originally appeared on Health Beat, www.healthbeatblog.org.2009/01/can-themedia-derail-health-care-reform.html.
* “6 Things to Know About Health Care Coverage” a Pew Study, available on
Journalism.org, 6/21/10
* “Hollywood and Health: Health Content in Entertainment Television” found
through the Kaiser Family Foundation website: www.kff.org. Specifically, read
the following pieces:
- “News Release”
- “Television as Health Educator: A Case Study of Grey’s Anatomy”
paying particular attention to the Introduction and Results section.
View: Grey’s Anatomy Episode
Lecture 8
October 25 – Reproductive Health/Maternal Child Health I – Reproductive Health
Assignments: Roe v. Wade 1973 Decision by US Supreme Court
Griswold v. Connecticut 1965. Decision by US Supreme
Court,
Note: To find these cases, use the Lexus or Westlaw database.
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Articles:
Time Magazine: “Love, Sex, Freedom and the Paradox of the Pill” by
Nancy Gibbs, 5/3/10
NYT: “When States Punish Women” Editorial, 6/3/11
New Jersey Law Journal: “In Quarter Century Since Baby M, No
Legislative Action on Surrogacy” by Kimberly Mutcherson (204 NJLJ 803)
November 1
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Lecture 9
The Life Cycle – Stem Cells and Eldercare/End of Life Issues
Assignments: No Texts
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Articles:
NYT: “Doctor Who Helped End Lives” by Keith Schneider, 6/4/11
NYT: “At the End, Offering Not a Cure but Comfort” by Anemona
Hartocollis, 8/20/08
NYT: “Law on End-of-Life Care Rankles Doctors” by Jane Brody, 6/7/11
New Jersey Law Journal: “Who May Pull The Plug?” Editorial, 5/17/10
S.L.: “End-of-Life Ethics” Editorial, 5/12/10
“Stem Cell Research Pros and Cons” from www.prosandconsguide.com
Fact Sheet – “Stem Cells 101: Embryonic Stem Cell Basics” from the
Christopher Reeve Foundation, www.christopherreeve.org
November 8 - Class Cancelled– Work on Class
Presentations
November 15 Assignments: View Dead Meat, a counter point to SICKO
View SICKO. Review for Final.
November 22 – No Class;
Thursday classes meet
Happy Thanksgiving
November 29 -
Final Presentations, Session 1
December 6 - Final Presentations, Session 2
December 13 – LAST CLASS! FINAL EXAM!