The Policy Process: Part I

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The Policy Process Part I Melissa Fitzpatrick HCS/455 August 19, 2013 Jay Littleton The Policy Process: Part I Policy is a plan of action that pertains or addressed to issues of national importance. Federal laws and government institutions have direct impact on health care policy and helped shape today’s healthcare. Therefore, a health policy is a detailed healthcare goal within a society. According to the World Health Organization (2013), “a health policy can define a vision for the future, inform people, build consensus, outline priorities, and identify the roles of different groups”. This paper will elaborate on financing, access to care, quality of care, delivery of health care, and health equity. As well…show more content…
Examples are unsafe working environment, natural disasters like tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, crime, and pollution to name a few. However, not all topics develop into a problem. According to American Government (2008), “People will have to convert a problem to a political issue or that the government can do something about it”. An example is Childhood Obesity; people cannot expect the government to provide healthy food to each family. In this paper, the problem that will be discussed is Childhood Obesity. People cannot expect the government or public to provide healthy food, although, government can assist in prevention and control for Childhood Obesity. Agenda Setting The government has an agenda that list all of the problems that they would like to sort out, or solves and is necessary to prioritize them. Interest groups, political parties, the media, and other branches of the government, normally bring these problems to their attention. “Agendas are not set and stone as they are reshaped when a new president takes office, the majority party in Congress changes after an election, or a crisis such as war, depression, natural disasters, or a tragic accident, almost always re-prioritizes problems” (American Governement, 2008). Formulation…show more content…
In this part of the process only members of the congress can introduce a bill for consideration. “Depending on category of the policy, as previously mentioned, this stage can take place at the Congress, the state legislature, the courts, or a presidential executive order” (Morone, Litman, & Robins, 2008). Once the bill is introduced, it is directed to the appropriate committee for review. The committee will either approve it or disapprove. When the bill is approved, it will go on with the process. In some circumstances, bills may be sent to a subcommittee for further reviews. During the hearing process, the committee will verify legitimacy of the bill and may request experts, supporters, and opponents to testify. After a bill is reported, it will then be written, and
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