The document discusses the legislative process and its relation to health policy in the United States. It covers the branches of government involved in legislation, including the House, Senate and President. It explains how a bill becomes law, from recognizing a problem through drafting, building support, committee reviews, votes, reconciling differences and presidential approval. It also covers the roles of federal, state and local governments in developing health policy and issues around access, cost and quality of care.
Social Determinants of Health InequitiesRenzo Guinto
Lecture given during the pre-APRM workshop on Social Determinants of Health and Global Health Equity, September 11, 2012, Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur
Health Promotion and Population Health: an Health Promotion Clearinghouse Re...Rafa Cofiño
Within the “Health Promotion and Population Health” resource list, you will find a variety of
information from provincial, national and international sources on the topic population health. This
resource list is organized into five sections: Overview, Documents, Organizational Links, Other Tools
and Resources, and Funding Opportunities.
Equity is the absence of avoidable, unfair, or remediable differences among groups of people, whether those groups are defined socially, economically, demographically or geographically or by other means of stratification. "Health equity” or “equity in health” implies that ideally, everyone should have a fair opportunity to attain their full health potential and that no one should be disadvantaged from achieving this potential.
Social Determinants of Health InequitiesRenzo Guinto
Lecture given during the pre-APRM workshop on Social Determinants of Health and Global Health Equity, September 11, 2012, Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur
Health Promotion and Population Health: an Health Promotion Clearinghouse Re...Rafa Cofiño
Within the “Health Promotion and Population Health” resource list, you will find a variety of
information from provincial, national and international sources on the topic population health. This
resource list is organized into five sections: Overview, Documents, Organizational Links, Other Tools
and Resources, and Funding Opportunities.
Equity is the absence of avoidable, unfair, or remediable differences among groups of people, whether those groups are defined socially, economically, demographically or geographically or by other means of stratification. "Health equity” or “equity in health” implies that ideally, everyone should have a fair opportunity to attain their full health potential and that no one should be disadvantaged from achieving this potential.
presentation is all about ppp in one hand and ppp in health on the other. ppp is not only remain as collaboration for the use of government mobey by the private party but now has legal and administrative aspects as well. however, to make ppp as vibrant and result oriented, mutual trust has to biult between both the parties that would be supplemented by some successful cases of ppp specially in health sector.
Universal health coverage was established in the WHO constitution of 1948 declaring health a fundamental human right.The goal of universal health coverage is to ensure that all people obtain the health services they need without suffering financial hardship when paying for them.
Health financing within the overall health systemHFG Project
Presented during Day One of the 2016 Nigeria Health Care Financing Training Workshop. Presented by Prof. Tanimola Akande and Dr. Francis Ukwuije. More: https://www.hfgproject.org/hcf-training-nigeria
presentation is all about ppp in one hand and ppp in health on the other. ppp is not only remain as collaboration for the use of government mobey by the private party but now has legal and administrative aspects as well. however, to make ppp as vibrant and result oriented, mutual trust has to biult between both the parties that would be supplemented by some successful cases of ppp specially in health sector.
Universal health coverage was established in the WHO constitution of 1948 declaring health a fundamental human right.The goal of universal health coverage is to ensure that all people obtain the health services they need without suffering financial hardship when paying for them.
Health financing within the overall health systemHFG Project
Presented during Day One of the 2016 Nigeria Health Care Financing Training Workshop. Presented by Prof. Tanimola Akande and Dr. Francis Ukwuije. More: https://www.hfgproject.org/hcf-training-nigeria
Constitution of USA
Congress
House of representative
Senate
composition of senate
Composition of house of representative
Function of speaker of USA and U.K.
Difference between U.K and USA parliament
special powers of senate and house of representative
Materials created by the National Archives and Records AdminisAbramMartino96
Materials created by the National Archives and Records Administration are in the public domain.Materials created by the National Archives and Records Administration are in the public domain.
Analyze a Written Document
Meet the document.
Type (check all that apply):
❑ Letter ❑ Speech ❑ Patent ❑ Telegram ❑ Court document
❑ Chart ❑ Newspaper ❑ Advertisement ❑ Press Release ❑ Memorandum
❑ Report ❑ Email ❑ Identification document ❑ Presidential document
❑ Congressional document ❑ Other
Describe it as if you were explaining to someone who can’t see it.
Think about: Is it handwritten or typed? Is it all by the same person? Are there stamps or other marks? What else do you see on it?
Observe its parts.
Who wrote it?
Who read/received it?
When is it from?
Where is it from?
Try to make sense of it.
What is it talking about?
Write one sentence summarizing this document.
Why did the author write it?
Quote evidence from the document that tells you this.
What was happening at the time in history this document was created?
Use it as historical evidence.
What did you find out from this document that you might not learn anywhere else?
What other documents or historical evidence are you going to use to help you understand this
event or topic?
Legislature Home > Washington State Legislature > How a Bill Becomes a Law
Washington State
Legislature
Member Information
Legislative Agencies
About Legislative RSS Feeds
What Is RSS
Legislature Employment
Opportunities
Bill Comments Help
Member Email Form Help
Participating in the Process
Main Sections
Legislature Home
House of Representatives
Senate
Laws & Agency Rules
Agendas, Schedules, &
Calendars
Bill Information
View all links
How a Bill Becomes a Law
For more information, see Legislative Process Overview, Reed's Parliamentary Rules, and Civic Education Page.
1. A bill may be introduced in either the Senate or House of Representatives by a member.
2. It is referred to a committee for a hearing. The committee studies the bill and may hold public hearings on it. It can then
pass, reject, or take no action on the bill.
3. The committee report on the passed bill is read in open session of the House or Senate, and the bill is then referred to
the Rules Committee.
4. The Rules Committee can either place the bill on the second reading calendar for debate before the entire body, or take
no action.
5. At the second reading, a bill is subject to debate and amendment before being placed on the third reading calendar for
final passage.
6. After passing one house, the bill goes through the same procedure in the other house.
7. If amendments are made in the other house, the first house must approve the changes.
8. When the bill is accepted in both houses, it is signed by the respective leaders and sent to the governor.
9. The governor signs the bill into law or may veto all or part of it. If the governor fails to act on the bill, it may become law
without a s ...
Materials created by the National Archives and Records AdminisAbramMartino96
Materials created by the National Archives and Records Administration are in the public domain.Materials created by the National Archives and Records Administration are in the public domain.
Analyze a Written Document
Meet the document.
Type (check all that apply):
❑ Letter ❑ Speech ❑ Patent ❑ Telegram ❑ Court document
❑ Chart ❑ Newspaper ❑ Advertisement ❑ Press Release ❑ Memorandum
❑ Report ❑ Email ❑ Identification document ❑ Presidential document
❑ Congressional document ❑ Other
Describe it as if you were explaining to someone who can’t see it.
Think about: Is it handwritten or typed? Is it all by the same person? Are there stamps or other marks? What else do you see on it?
Observe its parts.
Who wrote it?
Who read/received it?
When is it from?
Where is it from?
Try to make sense of it.
What is it talking about?
Write one sentence summarizing this document.
Why did the author write it?
Quote evidence from the document that tells you this.
What was happening at the time in history this document was created?
Use it as historical evidence.
What did you find out from this document that you might not learn anywhere else?
What other documents or historical evidence are you going to use to help you understand this
event or topic?
Legislature Home > Washington State Legislature > How a Bill Becomes a Law
Washington State
Legislature
Member Information
Legislative Agencies
About Legislative RSS Feeds
What Is RSS
Legislature Employment
Opportunities
Bill Comments Help
Member Email Form Help
Participating in the Process
Main Sections
Legislature Home
House of Representatives
Senate
Laws & Agency Rules
Agendas, Schedules, &
Calendars
Bill Information
View all links
How a Bill Becomes a Law
For more information, see Legislative Process Overview, Reed's Parliamentary Rules, and Civic Education Page.
1. A bill may be introduced in either the Senate or House of Representatives by a member.
2. It is referred to a committee for a hearing. The committee studies the bill and may hold public hearings on it. It can then
pass, reject, or take no action on the bill.
3. The committee report on the passed bill is read in open session of the House or Senate, and the bill is then referred to
the Rules Committee.
4. The Rules Committee can either place the bill on the second reading calendar for debate before the entire body, or take
no action.
5. At the second reading, a bill is subject to debate and amendment before being placed on the third reading calendar for
final passage.
6. After passing one house, the bill goes through the same procedure in the other house.
7. If amendments are made in the other house, the first house must approve the changes.
8. When the bill is accepted in both houses, it is signed by the respective leaders and sent to the governor.
9. The governor signs the bill into law or may veto all or part of it. If the governor fails to act on the bill, it may become law
without a s ...
Response one pol-05Based on the look of the present Congress it .docxronak56
Response one pol-05
Based on the look of the present Congress it appears that there are at least 42 different committees. While some of these committees appear to be unique to either the House or the Senate there are overlapping committees such as the Armed Services, Budget and Intelligence committees. Although, Congressional committees are headed by the party that is currently in power of that respective house. In the current case, the Republican Party controls both and the majority on the committees is Republican (Congressional Committees). By having all committees controlled by the same party tends to lead to lesser independence for Congressional committees. The party polarization that exist in present day politics and is evident in the composition of Congress also tends lead to Congressional committees want to pass legislation onto either the House or the Senate that benefits the ideals of the party in power. To get a better understanding of the lesser independence when one party controls Congress we can look simple at the fact that the number of constitutional hearings is less during a unified Congress than when they are divided. For example, when the House has been unified between the years of 1970 to 2009 there have been on average two less constitutional hearing (Devins 2011).
Additionally, while there was a change in the 1970s that resulted in reforms of the committees and provided more power to the chairs and leaders of the political parties it affected how policy could passed through Congressional committees. The creation of lesser independence due to the increased party polarization has led to a system where when a major controls both policy that is designed to benefit a certain group may or may not be passed based on party affiliation (Pearson 2009).
By seeing the affects that party polarization has had on Congressional committees it would almost appear that having greater independence with the committees could potential lead to policies and bills that benefit a larger group being passed onto the Congressional floors. Furthermore, the redundancy of committees in both the House and Senate seem to prevent greater independence. This could primarily be to blame when one party controls all of Congress. An example this could be the House Appropriations committee seeking to allocate funds for the Department of Defense and based on the control the House at this time the committee is going to be heavily influenced by that party. Then, if the same party controls the Senate Appropriations committee the ideas of the less party in getting appropriations set aside that could either benefit or hinder the Department of Defense are ignored. Having greater independence and not having that specific influence from party polarization would generate better discussion and the potential for appropriations being allocated that are more potentially beneficial than not.
References:
Devins, Neal. 2011. "PARTY POLARIZATION AND CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE CO ...
Legislative process and procedures in nigeria - Advocacy Opportunity for CSOsJohn Onyeukwu
A summary of presentation on Legislative Advocacy for Civil Society Organizations - incorporating advocacy opportunities in the various Stages of Law Making in Nigeria's Presidential System
The simplified electron and muon model, Oscillating Spacetime: The Foundation...RitikBhardwaj56
Discover the Simplified Electron and Muon Model: A New Wave-Based Approach to Understanding Particles delves into a groundbreaking theory that presents electrons and muons as rotating soliton waves within oscillating spacetime. Geared towards students, researchers, and science buffs, this book breaks down complex ideas into simple explanations. It covers topics such as electron waves, temporal dynamics, and the implications of this model on particle physics. With clear illustrations and easy-to-follow explanations, readers will gain a new outlook on the universe's fundamental nature.
Biological screening of herbal drugs: Introduction and Need for
Phyto-Pharmacological Screening, New Strategies for evaluating
Natural Products, In vitro evaluation techniques for Antioxidants, Antimicrobial and Anticancer drugs. In vivo evaluation techniques
for Anti-inflammatory, Antiulcer, Anticancer, Wound healing, Antidiabetic, Hepatoprotective, Cardio protective, Diuretics and
Antifertility, Toxicity studies as per OECD guidelines
Read| The latest issue of The Challenger is here! We are thrilled to announce that our school paper has qualified for the NATIONAL SCHOOLS PRESS CONFERENCE (NSPC) 2024. Thank you for your unwavering support and trust. Dive into the stories that made us stand out!
A review of the growth of the Israel Genealogy Research Association Database Collection for the last 12 months. Our collection is now passed the 3 million mark and still growing. See which archives have contributed the most. See the different types of records we have, and which years have had records added. You can also see what we have for the future.
This presentation includes basic of PCOS their pathology and treatment and also Ayurveda correlation of PCOS and Ayurvedic line of treatment mentioned in classics.
June 3, 2024 Anti-Semitism Letter Sent to MIT President Kornbluth and MIT Cor...Levi Shapiro
Letter from the Congress of the United States regarding Anti-Semitism sent June 3rd to MIT President Sally Kornbluth, MIT Corp Chair, Mark Gorenberg
Dear Dr. Kornbluth and Mr. Gorenberg,
The US House of Representatives is deeply concerned by ongoing and pervasive acts of antisemitic
harassment and intimidation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Failing to act decisively to ensure a safe learning environment for all students would be a grave dereliction of your responsibilities as President of MIT and Chair of the MIT Corporation.
This Congress will not stand idly by and allow an environment hostile to Jewish students to persist. The House believes that your institution is in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the inability or
unwillingness to rectify this violation through action requires accountability.
Postsecondary education is a unique opportunity for students to learn and have their ideas and beliefs challenged. However, universities receiving hundreds of millions of federal funds annually have denied
students that opportunity and have been hijacked to become venues for the promotion of terrorism, antisemitic harassment and intimidation, unlawful encampments, and in some cases, assaults and riots.
The House of Representatives will not countenance the use of federal funds to indoctrinate students into hateful, antisemitic, anti-American supporters of terrorism. Investigations into campus antisemitism by the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on Ways and Means have been expanded into a Congress-wide probe across all relevant jurisdictions to address this national crisis. The undersigned Committees will conduct oversight into the use of federal funds at MIT and its learning environment under authorities granted to each Committee.
• The Committee on Education and the Workforce has been investigating your institution since December 7, 2023. The Committee has broad jurisdiction over postsecondary education, including its compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, campus safety concerns over disruptions to the learning environment, and the awarding of federal student aid under the Higher Education Act.
• The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating the sources of funding and other support flowing to groups espousing pro-Hamas propaganda and engaged in antisemitic harassment and intimidation of students. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the principal oversight committee of the US House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time” under House Rule X.
• The Committee on Ways and Means has been investigating several universities since November 15, 2023, when the Committee held a hearing entitled From Ivory Towers to Dark Corners: Investigating the Nexus Between Antisemitism, Tax-Exempt Universities, and Terror Financing. The Committee followed the hearing with letters to those institutions on January 10, 202
Exploiting Artificial Intelligence for Empowering Researchers and Faculty, In...Dr. Vinod Kumar Kanvaria
Exploiting Artificial Intelligence for Empowering Researchers and Faculty,
International FDP on Fundamentals of Research in Social Sciences
at Integral University, Lucknow, 06.06.2024
By Dr. Vinod Kumar Kanvaria
MATATAG CURRICULUM: ASSESSING THE READINESS OF ELEM. PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS I...NelTorrente
In this research, it concludes that while the readiness of teachers in Caloocan City to implement the MATATAG Curriculum is generally positive, targeted efforts in professional development, resource distribution, support networks, and comprehensive preparation can address the existing gaps and ensure successful curriculum implementation.
it describes the bony anatomy including the femoral head , acetabulum, labrum . also discusses the capsule , ligaments . muscle that act on the hip joint and the range of motion are outlined. factors affecting hip joint stability and weight transmission through the joint are summarized.
Normal Labour/ Stages of Labour/ Mechanism of LabourWasim Ak
Normal labor is also termed spontaneous labor, defined as the natural physiological process through which the fetus, placenta, and membranes are expelled from the uterus through the birth canal at term (37 to 42 weeks
Normal Labour/ Stages of Labour/ Mechanism of Labour
Legislation and health care policy
1. THE LEGESLATIVE
PROCESS
AND ITS RELATION TO HEALTH POLICY
By: Jessica Melnik and Chrysanne Marquez
2. Part 1:
LEGISLATION WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
The legislative process can be long, tedious, complex and
frustrating. It is much more difficult to pass a bill than it is to kill one.
There are numerous times and places during the legislative process at
which a bill can die. Only a very few survive to become law.
3. BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT
• United States Congress
The United States Congress is the chief legislative or law-
making body in the land. Through the laws it passes, it defines crimes
and punishments, establishes levels of taxation and spending and
creates the programs and policies that shape American government and
politics.
By introducing a piece of legislation, a member of Congress
proposes a solution to a public policy problem. Before a public policy
problem can be addressed through the legislative process, however, it
must first be recognized as a problem. When a member of Congress
proposes a bill, he or she is essentially claiming to have found the best
solution to the public policy problem in question.
4. Branches of Government (cont’d)
• The House of Representatives and the Senate
There are nineteen permanent committees in the House and
seventeen in the Senate. Each of these committees has a specific area
of legislative jurisdiction. Each house is guided by its own set of complex
procedural rules which define the structure of the debate. The rules of
both the House and Senate are sufficiently complex that each body
employs a full time "parliamentarian," an expert in the rules and
procedures of each house.
In both the House and the Senate, the allotted time for debate
on each piece of legislation is divided equally between the two parties. In
both the House and the Senate, once all allowable amendments have
been offered and voted on and the time set aside for debate has expired,
the full membership of each body votes on the legislation. In order for a
piece of legislation to move on in the legislative process, it must be
passed by the House and the Senate.
5. Branches of government (Cont’d)
• The President
The President of the United States of America plays a
significant role in the legislative process. After a piece of legislation is
passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, it is
forwarded to the President. Bills are then sent to the President to be
signed or vetoed. If the President signs a bill, it becomes law. However, if
the President vetoes a bill, it is rejected, but the Congress may attempt
to override the veto.
6. How a Bill Becomes a Law
1. Recognizing a Problem
While the formal legislative process begins when a bill is introduced in
the House or the Senate, a bill is "born" long before that. A problem must first be
recognized and solutions must be proposed.
2. Choosing the Best Solution
In the American political process, there are generally more than enough
proposed solutions to the problems the nation faces. The difficulty lies in sorting
through the proposed solution to find the one that will work best.
3. Drafting a Bill
Before a member of Congress introduces a bill in the House or Senate,
the bill must be drafted. Writing legislation requires precision, attention to detail,
an intimate understanding of existing laws and a clear understanding of the
proposed policy solution. Members of Congress often rely on staff, experts in the
area the proposed legislation will effect, and Congressional legal staff to assist
them in drafting legislation.
7. How a Bill Becomes a Law (Cont’d)
4. Building Support for a Bill
Members of Congress must successfully compete for congressional and
public attention or the legislation they introduce is bound to fail. To build support and
momentum for a bill, members of Congress generally hold press conferences to
announce the introduction of legislation. They will also secure as many co-sponsors
as possible for their legislation to provide evidence of broad congressional support
for the bill.
5. The Congressional Committee
Once a bill has been formally introduced, it is referred to a congressional
committee for further consideration. Each of these committees has a specific area of
legislative jurisdiction and bills are generally referred to committees accordingly. In
many cases, however, bills address topics that fall under the jurisdiction of more
than one committee. If a bill is assigned to a committee with a Chair that supports
the legislation, the bill is likely to be scheduled for a timely public hearing, full
committee consideration and a vote. If a committee votes to keep a bill, instead of
sending it on for further consideration, the bill is dead.
8. How a Bill becomes a law (cont’d)
6. The House of Representatives and the Senate
Once a bill has been reported out of the committee or committees to
which it was assigned, it must be considered by all of the members of the body
in which it was introduced--either the House or the Senate. In the House, a
Committee on Rules establishes the time and duration of debate on each bill
that comes to the floor. In addition to the timing and extent of the bill's floor
consideration, the rule also specifies what, if any, amendments may be made to
the bill on the floor.
In both the House and the Senate, once all allowable amendments
have been offered and voted on and the time set aside for debate has expired,
the full membership of each body votes on the legislation. If the two houses
cannot reconcile their differences on a bill, it cannot be considered further and it
dies.
9. How a Bill Becomes a Law (cont’d)
7. The Conference Committee
When similar bills are passed by both houses, they are referred to a
special, temporary "Conference Committee," comprised of members of both
houses and of both parties. Members on Conference Committees are charged
with working out the differences between the two versions of the bill and creating
a compromise version which is then sent back to each house. At this stage in the
process, no amendments are allowed. The full membership of the House and
Senate must simply choose to accept or reject the Conference Committee's
"Report," which details the compromise version of the bill.
8. The President
If the Report is accepted, the bill is forwarded to the President. Bills
sent to the President must be signed or vetoed. If the President signs the bill, it
becomes law. However, if the President vetoes the bill, it is rejected. The
President has 10 days to sign or veto the enrolled bill.
10. How to Veto a bill
While the President is the only individual that has the
power to sign or veto a bill, Congress has the power to override
the veto. Congress may attempt to override the veto if they feel
the bill was mistakenly overlooked by the President. A veto can
be overridden if a two-thirds majority in both houses votes to do
so.
11. • How does congress build
momentum for a bill?
• What happens once a bill has been
Questions about the formally introduced?
Legislative process
• How many days does the president
(Answers listed at the end of the have to sign or veto a bill?
presentation)
• In order for a bill to move on in the
legislative process, what has to
happen?
12. Part 2:
Health Policy
In the United States of America, federal, state, and local
governments have played a role in developing and delivering health
policy. Issues associated with health policy stem from individual health,
the overall health of the country, and economic problems associated with
health care. There is an ongoing argument, however, over how much
involvement the government should have in developing health policy.
In other nations, health care is considered a right, and thus
most agree that the government should play a leading role in developing
and delivering health care. In the United States of America, however,
health care is not seen as a right, but more as a privilege. Other than
national programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, our health care
system is controlled by private sectors. Problems associated with this
type of health care system have led to the need for health care reform,
and thus new ideas for health policy have been proposed.
13. The role of the State
Individual states do play a significant role in the development and
delivery of health policy. In fact, many of the policies we know today have
originated in state governments. Examples of implemented health policy that
originated on the state level are as follows:
• Administration of federal/state Medicaid and SCHIP programs
• Programs that address vulnerable populations such as the poor and disabled
• Programs that address the needs of specific populations such as children and
pregnant women
• State licensure and regulation
• Regulation of health care costs and insurance companies
• Authorization of local health service
• Health personal training and education
14. Problems associated with state involvement in health
policy
While state governments have made great strides in developing
health policy to protect and provide for it’s citizens, some can argue that
state involvement has prevented our nation from effectively addressing
issues associated with current health policy. The more control states
have, the more difficult it becomes to establish a national health strategy.
Also, because each state plays a role in developing health care, many
feel that inequalities in health care exist among the states. Some
politicians, therefore, have suggested that the federal government should
play more of a role in developing health policy, and that individual states
should have less involvement.
15. The role of congress
As discussed earlier, Congress has the power to make laws, thus
making this legislative branch extremely influential in developing and
implementing health policy. Congress also has the ability to spend, allowing
funding (or lack there of) for national programs such as Medicaid and
Medicare. The House of Representatives and the Senate control most of the
legislative activity in Congress. Examples of federal involvement in health
policy are listed below:
• Financing and jurisdiction over public programs such as: Medicare,
Medicaid, Social Security, unemployment compensation, and public
welfare.
• Jurisdiction over health bills including: the Public Health Service Act, the
Affordable Health Care for America Act, the Federal Drug and Cosmetic
Act, HMO plans, Community Mental Health Centers Act, and many more.
• The establishment of federal agencies designed to protect the public, such
as the Federal Drug and Food Administration, and the Untied States
Public Health Service.
16. Problems associated with federal involvement in
health policy
While this topic is highly debatable, some feel that government
involvement in health policy has caused the high cost of health care today, and
that this problem will progress with increased government involvement. Those
that endorse government involvement in health care reform, feel that government
involvement would decrease the cost of health care and would help to provide
health insurance to all American citizens. Finally, there are those that believe that
a balance between state and government involvement will lead to a more
efficient, less expensive, health care system.
17. Problems associated with health policy
As Americans we live in a nation in which many citizens are
without health insurance, yet health care expenditure is amongst the
highest in the world. In order to reform such an ineffective system,
government commitment (whether on a state or federal level) is
imperative. Issues associated with current health policy are related to
access to care, cost of care, and quality of care.
18. Access to care
Many citizens feel that health care should be a right, and thus all
citizens should have access to health care. The debatable topic, however,
is which health care services should be included in basic care. Current
national programs, such as Medicaid and Medicare focus on providing
care to the most needy, which are the elderly, disabled, and poverty
stricken.
There are many bills that have been passed by state and federal
governments in attempt to rectify this obvious problem in health policy.
One primary example of this is the Affordable Care Act. In March, 2010,
Congress passed the Affordable Care Act that was supported by President
Obama. The health care law seeks to extend health care to over 30
million Americans, primarily by expanding access to Medicaid and
reducing expenditure on Medicare. While there were challenges faced on
many of the law’s provisions, it was recently upheld in the Supreme Court,
and will continue to roll forward.
19. Cost of care
While America is home to the
latest developments in medical
technology and well-trained
specialists, we are also home to the
most expensive health care system in
the world. Cost containment has
become one of the primary concerns
associated with developing new health
policy. Government involvement
towards a solution includes the
implementation of federal programs such
as: Medicaid, Medicare, Veterans
Affairs, and federal employee benefit
programs. States have also played a
role in reducing health care costs, such
as regulating how much hospitals and
nursing homes are reimbursed.
20. Quality of care
Quality of care is also a concern of policy makers. New
treatment methods, new diagnostic tools, and new research must be
used to enhance the quality of care available to American citizens. In
response to this concern, Congress created a new agency in 1989, now
called the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). This
agency conducts and supports research that measures the outcomes
and effectiveness of health care services and procedures. Many
programs have been established on the state level as well. State funded
programs, such as smoking cessation programs, focus on health care
promotion and disease prevention.
21. • Can you list examples of health
policy that have been
implemented in order to address
issues associated with the cost of
care?
• What problems are associated
Questions About with state involvement in
developing and implementing
Health PolicY health policy?
(Answers at the end of the • What is the name of the
presentation) government agency that was
created in order to measure the
effectiveness of health care
services and procedures?
• Critical thinking question: Do you
feel that the government should
be more involved in health policy?
Why or why not?
22. Conclusion
It is important to understand that all laws begin as ideas. A problem
must be identified before a solution is proposed. While the legislative process is
complex, we can all play an essential role in the decision-making process.
Americans have proven this by communicating directly with local
representatives. Legislators may respond by proposing a bill that addresses an
individual or group concern. As American citizens we can also make a change
by voting for politicians that support our beliefs.
While great strides have been made in attempt to rectify issues in
health policy today, it is apparent that there is still much that needs to be done.
Involvement in the legislative process, whether in a direct or indirect
manner, will allow each person to promote a health policy that will support the
needs of our citizens. Regardless of our varying opinions about health
policy, we can all agree that the cost of care, quality of care, and access to care
are issues that need to be addressed in health care reform. The hope is that
one day we can say that the United States provides superior patient care, to all
citizens, at an affordable price.
23. Answers to questions
Part 1 Answers:
• Congress generally holds press conferences to announce the introduction of
legislation.
• It is referred to a congressional committee for further consideration.
• The President has 10 days to sign or veto the enrolled bill.
• It must be passed in identical form by both the House and the Senate. If the two
houses cannot reconcile their differences on a bill, it cannot be considered
further and it dies
24. Answers to questions (Cont’d)
Part 2 Answers:
• Federal programs such as: Medicaid, Medicare, Veterans Affairs, and federal
employee benefit programs. States have regulated how much hospitals and
nursing homes are reimbursed.
• Increased state involvement makes it more difficult to establish a national
health strategy. Also, because each state plays a role in developing health
care, many feel that inequalities in health care exist among the states.
• The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) was created by
the US Congress in 1989.
• There is no “right” answer to this question. Some feel that government
involvement in health policy has caused the high cost of health care
today, and that this problem will progress with increased government
involvement. Those that endorse government involvement in health care
reform, feel that government involvement would decrease the cost of health
care and would help to provide health insurance to all American citizens.
25. References
Crowly, S. (2012). Health care reform and the Supreme Court (Affordable Care Act). The New York Times. Retrieved
from:
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/s/supreme_court/affordable_care_act/index.html
Longley, R. (2012). The legislative process: How bills become laws, or not. About.com Guide. Retrieved from:
http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/uscongress/a/legprocess.htm
Shi, L., & Singh, D. (2008). Delivering health care in America: A systems approach.
(4th ed.). Sudbury, Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
26. References (cont’d)
Texiera, R. (2012). Public opinion snapshot: Public still backs government role in health care. The
Center for American Progress. Retrieved from: http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/public-
opinion/news/2012/08/06/11977/public-opinion-snapshot-public-still-backs-government-role-in-health-
care/
The United States House of Representatives (2012). The House explained: The legislative process.
Retrieved from: http://www.house.gov/content/learn/legislative_process/