Health Policy and Reform

Kendra Tevis

Walden University

Week Seven Application Assignment

US Healthcare and Delivery System

October 21, 2012

Health policy and government involvement in healthcare reform and delivery are a continuing source of debate in America. Some Americans believe that the government has a responsibility to ensure that medical care is available for all Americans. In the book, Delivering Healthcare in America, by L. Shi & D. Singh, they state, “Some Americans contend that they have the right to the best care at the least expense, despite their social class” (20-8, p. 548). This drives many of the healthcare policy reform and goals of the healthcare system.

Key Features of the Legislative Process

Healthcare policy occurs in a cycle that involves several steps: raising of the issue, policy design, getting public support, legislative decision making and support building and legislative decision making and implementation. All three branches of government are involved in policy making; however, the legislative branch is highly involved in the process. The legislative process can be very complex and sometimes difficult for the public to understand, but the outcomes can greatly impact an individual citizen’s life. Once a bill has been created, it must be passed through both the House and the Senate then it is forwarded to the President for his signature. It becomes a law if the President signs it and if he does not sign it, it can become a law unless he vetoes it. The current healthcare policy focuses more on ensuring that Americans have a basic, minimal access to healthcare but not necessarily an equal access to healthcare. Many healthcare policies are focused on healthcare for certain groups of Americans that are deemed to be at risk and more vulnerable than others such as children, the elderly and the disabled. However, there are current healthcare policies that have recently been made into law that...