Health. What does it mean? If a person feels good, are they enjoying good health? If they do not feel well, does that necessarily mean they are not healthy? In looking at populations, how does one define health? There are many ways to measure health status, but metrics without a meaningful application of them tell us little.
Part 1 does discuss metrics, however, comparing where the United States stands on the international stage. Do the outcomes of our healthcare system justify our costs relative to other developed countries? What drives the idea of being healthy, and how are those drivers affected by health policy?
Likewise, from where is health policy derived? Where does it begin? Why does a policymaker choose to focus on a health policy issue? What end does a policy seek to obtain?
Chapters 1 and 2 introduce the definition of health and the contexts—there are several—in which health policy is made. Bodies as diverse as US Congress and local health departments make policy. This part’s policy snapshot, “The Affordable Care Act: A Cauldron of Controversy,” demonstrates that the judicial branch also makes health policy. We will examine the background against which the policy process (detailed in the rest of the text) takes place, whether those processes be legislative, executive, or judicial.
Chapter 3 defines the concept of federalism and how it affects health policy. Recognizing that states and the federal government have dual responsibilities is key to understanding the past, present, and future of health policy. Taken together, the chapters in part 1 provide a foundation for discussing the legislative policy process in part 2.