Health Policy Analysts: Political and Legal

Health Policy Analysts: Political and Legal Analysis

There are several factors that decision makers must consider when analyzing health policy issues, two very important elements that health policy analysts use to consider these issues include political and legal analysis. Both are equally important in the decision making process, however, at the same time, all aspects need to be thoroughly contemplated before any decisions can be made regarding any health policy. The objective of policy analysis is not a report but informed choices that lead to an improved health care system that requires attention to implementation strategy, implementation planning, and feedback to our policy processes (Curtis P. McLaughlin and Craig D. McLaughlin, 2008).

First of all, health policy analysts have to consider the fact that many single participants or organizations are not always going to agree on the same things because they have different perspectives and their interests are often in conflict. However, they take all participant’s interests and perspectives into consideration.

Now, I will discuss the health policy analysis issues from a political standpoint. “In thinking about where the nexus for decision making about health care should lie in today’s United States, several complex economic, ideological, and managerial issues must be considered. One is the centralization versus decentralization, which are both a strategic and a tactical issue. Another is the unequal power in the markets; there are circumstances in health care that may limit the usual free market conditions of commerce” (Curtis P. McLaughlin and Craig D. McLaughlin, 2008). It is suggested that the United States is still far from suitable market conditions. On one side, some supporters speak out about the need for universal coverage; whereas others speak out about consumer-driven markets.

Similarly, health policy analysts use legal analysis to consider health policy issues. They use legal analysis in the...