Health policy and the federal government

Role played by Congress in the formulation of health policy

Congress is responsible for the formulation of programs and policies that affect the lives of individuals in one way or another. Among the issues dealt by the congress, health care is its top priority. The health programs advocated for by the congress cuts across the political sphere (Shi &  Singh, 2011). Congress plays a major role in agitating for reforms in the health sector; these reforms are in line with the public outcry in relation to health care costs and increasing figures of uninsured citizens. However, despite the crucial health reform role, congress is responsible for the designation of paramount programs i.e. the Medicare and Veterans Administration (Burke, 2011). In addition, congress is tasked with the formulation of public programs like Medicaid whose funding criteria is looked into. Moreover, the congress plays a major role in ensuring National institutes of health research services attract utmost support. Various committees handle health programs and policies in accordance to their uniqueness. The different committees are entitled to different tasks that include regulating, designing program structure, dealing with finance and the one overseeing implementation.

How Congress operates

Congress is composed of the senate and the House of Representatives. The senate is made up of 100 senators, two from each state and their terms lapse after six years. The House of Representatives is composed of 435 representatives whose terms expire after two years. Each of these houses has four different committees that deliberate on health care matters. In addition, their dissemination of duties varies as their lengths of terms differ. The committees form an integral part in congress. The eight committees have unique responsibilities and its members are experts in their respective fields (Burke, 2011). At a glance, this is how the committees are linked to the congress business. Congressional representatives’ sole responsibility is to draft bills, or receive public petitions and forwards it to the clerk for deliberation. After his deliberations, the clerk forwards it to a relevant committee. Once in the committee, debate on the issue is opened and wide consultations are conducted before a poll is taken to ascertain the chances of passage. After the committee stage, the bill is returned to the clerk who will conduct a poll before forwarding it to the other chamber for further deliberations and approval. Considering both chambers agree on a bill its send to the president for assent (Burke, 2011).

Legislation steps

There are eight stages in legislation. These are, identification of a problem, bill drafting, hearing, committee stage, floor actions, conference stage, appending by the president and implementation (Burke, 2011). Problem identification marks the beginning of the process, and then drafting of a bill with a suggested solution follows. The responsible committees hold a hearing where the supporters and the opponents of the bill are given a hearing. The committee then reaches a consensus on the bill language before taking it to the congress or the chambers.  A bill can start from any chamber but it has to pass through both houses for deliberations before the president assent. However, bills that seek to increase revenue start from the House of Representatives while the senate is responsible for treaty ratifications. Both chambers are brought together in the floor action stage. This is the stage where amendments are proposed and subsequent proposals incorporated. After the deliberations and the passing of the bill, it is then taken to the president for assent. Thereafter, the authorities tasked with the implementation ensure the law is

implemented to the latter (Rich & White, 1996).

How a bill becomes law

The legislative system of the United States of America is much complex for the nonprofessional to understand.  For a bill to become law, it has to undergo several procedures that entail deliberations, amendments and voting (Wiener, 2003). To foster democracy, a bill develops from an idea of a member of the senate or House of Representatives (Leichter, 1997). The responsible member creates a bill out of an idea that is then taken to a committee. The committee deliberates on both positive and negative value of the law and its passage necessity. With the committee ratification, the bill is referred to either chamber for further deliberations. Given the satisfaction of one branch, the bill goes to the other branch for the same scrutiny of merits and its implications to the public. The bill is amended to meet the requirements of a given branch of congress before its passage. After the deliberations and subsequent amendments by the two branches, the bill is taken to conference, a congregation of both houses for final poll. Thereafter, the bill is taken to the president of the United States of America for assent. Given the president assent, a bill automatically becomes a law (Wiener, 2003).

The chance to become a Congressman or a Senator

Given a chance, I could love to be a senator. This is because a senator represents a large geographical area of a constituency (Rich & White, 1996). This implies that my policies will influence a broad area. In addition, senators enjoy long terms that stretch to six years in office. The increased time is paramount as one is able to exhaust all his intended projects. A congressional representative does not enjoy the aforementioned factors.

References

Shi, L., &  Singh, D. (2011). Delivering Health Care in America: A Systems Approach. Sudbury : Jones & Bartlett Publishers.

Wiener, J. (2003). Federalism and health policy. Washington: The Urban Insitute.

Rich, F., & White, W. (1996). Health policy, federalism, and the American states. Washington :The Urban Insitute.

Leichter, H. M. (1997). Health policy reform in America: innovations from the states. New York: M.E. Sharpe.

Burke, S. (2011). The U.S Congress and Health Policy. Retrieved October 11, 2011, from http://www.Kaiseredu.org/Tutorials-and-Presentations/US-Congress-and-Health-Policy.aspx?referrers-search