Federal Health Policymaking

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering the fundamental concepts, stages, and terminology of federal health policymaking and key healthcare legislation in the United States.

Legislator

An individual responsible for making or enacting laws.

Legislation

Law made by the government to achieve a particular objective.

Statutory Authority

The capacity to enforce legislation on behalf of the government as granted by the US Constitution.

Agenda Setting

The ability to influence the priorities of issues for policy consideration.

Agenda

Issues targeted for policy consideration.

Policy Position

The stand taken regarding a particular issue which often influences the focus and orientation of legislation.

Speaker of the House

The presiding officer of the US House of Representatives, typically chosen from the majority party of the House.

Senate Majority Leader

Senate leader elected by the party that holds majority in the US Senate, responsible for scheduling legislative and executive business.

Tabling Legislation

An action undertaken by Congress to postpone consideration of a bill.

Amendment

A change or addition to a piece of legislation under consideration in the US House of Representatives or Senate.

Veto

The authority to unilaterally stop an official action.

Federal Register

A publicly accessible source and daily publication of the US federal government that publishes presidential and federal agency documents.

Administrative Simplification

Provision in HIPAA and the ACA that aims to reduce administrative costs through the adoption of electronic transactions and standardization of operating rules.

Oversight

Activities to review, monitor, or supervise the process of formulating, implementing, and modifying public policy.

Jurisdiction

The authority to interpret and apply the law.

Office of Management and Budget

The largest component of the Executive Office that implements and enforces the commitments and priorities of the president.

Wearable Health Technology

Small electronic devices that collect the wearer’s medical data and can send it to healthcare professionals for follow-up.

Bioterrorism

The deliberate release of viruses, bacteria, or other germs (agents) to cause illness or death in people, animals, or plants.

Means Testing

Establishing financial need, administered by each state, to determine eligibility for Medicaid.

Protected Health Information (PHI)

Any information held by a covered entity which concerns health status, the provision of healthcare, or payment for healthcare that can be linked to an individual.

Policy Formulation

The stage of policymaking that includes agenda setting and legislation development.

Policy Implementation

The stage of policymaking that includes rule making and putting policies into operation.

Policy Modification

The stage where policies are adjusted as necessary to accommodate real-world application or refined objectives.

Medicare Part A

The tier of Medicare that finances hospital insurance and partial nursing home coverage for the elderly.

Medicare Part B

The tier of Medicare that covers physicians’ bills for the elderly.

Medicaid

Publicly financed insurance set forth in Title XIX of the Social Security Amendments that extends federal matching funds to states to cover healthcare costs for the poor.

HITECH Act

Legislation introduced in $2009$ that widened the scope of HIPAA privacy and security protections and increased penalties for violations.

Administrative Safeguards

HIPAA Security Rule policies and procedures designed to clearly show how an entity will comply with the act.

Physical Safeguards

HIPAA Security Rule controls for physical access to areas of data storage to protect against inappropriate access.

Technical Safeguards

HIPAA Security Rule protections for communications containing PHI transmitted electronically over open networks.

MIPS (Merit-Based Incentive Payment System)

A reimbursement paradigm under MACRA that consolidates three incentive programs into one for eligible physicians.

APMs (Alternative Payment Models)

Reimbursement paradigms under MACRA that recognize value rather than volume in physician payments.

Gag Clauses

Provisions that formerly prevented pharmacists from informing patients about less costly ways to obtain their medicines, prohibited by the Know the Lowest Price Act of $2018$.