7 Stages of Health Policy Process

What are the sequential stages of the policy process described in the notes?

Problem identification - agenda building -> Policy formulation -> Policy adoption -> budgeting -> implementation & evaluation -> Policy succession.

How does the problem identification stage of the policy process begin?

Problem identification starts with demand of government action to resolve a problem or take advantage of an opportunity.

In problem identification, how is 'perception' defined?

Perception is the registering or receiving of an event.

In problem identification, how is 'definition' defined?

Definition is the interpretation of those events, giving meaning to them.

What example is given of how modern media can affect perception of a problem?

Modern media can affect our perception such that poverty is blamed on personal failure, laziness, or a lack of effort.

What is agenda setting in the context of public policy?

Getting government officials to seriously consider an issue.

According to the notes, when do issues hit the agenda during a window of opportunity?

Issues hit the agenda when Problems, Policies, and Politics align during a window of opportunity.

What does policy formulation involve?

Creating specific plans to fix a problem, requiring compromise among political actors.

Why do policy analysts use economic, environmental, or computer models?

Analysts use economic, environmental, or computer models to simplify reality and predict policy impacts.

How is policy adoption defined?

The official acceptance of a proposed policy by authorized decision makers.

How do bureaucracies adopt policies?

Bureaucracies adopt policies via official rules often shaped by internal debate, public feedback, and executive oversight.

How do presidents and governors bypass Congress or the legislature?

Presidents and governors use direct orders to bypass Congress.

What are direct international deals made by the president without requiring formal Senate approval?

They are direct international deals made by the president without requiring formal Senate treaty approval.

What example is given of policy established through court rulings and legal orders?

Desegregation mandates.

What leads to deadlock in Congress and drives the use of shortcuts like continuing resolutions?

Budget deficits and political disagreement lead to deadlock, driving Congress to use shortcuts like continuing resolutions.

What three groups must reach agreement for legislative policy to succeed?

Legislative policy needs agreement among the legislature, executive branch, and public opinion to succeed.

What is direct democracy as defined in the notes?

Direct democracy is where the legislature asks voters to approve specific policies.

Why is policy adoption alone insufficient for policy implementation?

Adopting a policy is not enough because it requires funding through a complex budgeting process driven by executive priorities and legislative approval.

How is equity defined in contrast to simple equality?

Redistributing resources fairly, going beyond simple equality to give extra support to disadvantaged groups.

What conflict arises when protecting individual freedom from government or private interference?

Protecting individual freedom conflicts with regulations or security measures.

What are examples of setting required standards or laws as a policy tool?

Setting required standards or laws such as emission limits or drunk driving thresholds.

What are examples of educating or persuading people to influence choices?

Drug campaigns and food labeling.

What structural policy instrument involves changing decision-making inside government?

Changing who makes decisions or where decisions are made within government.

What internal and external threats must society be protected from?

Internal and external threats such as terrorism, crime, and environmental change.

Stage 7 Evaluation is defined as making a judgement concerning the __________ of a program.

effectiveness

Systematic evaluation utilizes scientific methods, control groups, statistical analysis, comparative data, detailed survey instruments, and __________ and error.

trial

Evaluation that relies on simple surveys and case studies rather than scientific methods is classified as __________.

Impressionistic

In Stage 8 Policy Succession, the outcome that is considered the least likely to occur is for the policy to be __________.

Terminated

Stage 6 Implementation includes three main components: organization, interpretation, and extending the __________.

benefit

In November 2025 of the fiscal year 2027 budget timeline, the __________ makes final decisions and sends recommendations to the President.

OMB

In late January 2026, the budget proposal is officially submitted to __________.

Congress

__________ set the final dollar figure before a bill goes to the floor of the House or Senate.

Appropriations

An __________ is legislation that creates a legal obligation to provide benefits to those who are eligible.

entitlement

Dollars approved in previous years to be spent in current and future years are defined as previous budget __________.

Authority

Legislation that combines multiple different bills into a single package being sent up or down is called __________ legislation.

Omnibus

The federal fiscal year runs from 10/1 to 9/30 and is always denoted by the year it __________.

ends

__________ is defined as the expansion or denial of an individual or group's ability to access the political system.

Rights

Changes that fundamentally alter who makes policy decisions are categorized as __________.

Powers

Policy Adoption is defined as the emergence and __________ of a proposal.

acceptance

During the policy process, the __________ writes rules and regulations.

Bureaucracy

A __________ policy gives benefits to a group of people and is not perceived as being a cost to someone else.

distributive

A __________ policy gives benefits to a group of people that is perceived as being an expense to someone else.

redistributive

A political window of opportunity opens at the point when the 3 __________ converge.

streams

Policy Formulation is defined as developing a plan which attempts to remedy a __________.

problem

The process of examining and evaluating courses of action under policy formulation is known as policy __________.

analysis

An abstraction that focuses on important variables and attempts to predict behavior is called a __________.

model

Positive or negative attempts to influence behavior through outcomes are known as __________.

Inducements

Federalism

a division of power between two or more separate and independent levels of government

Fragmentation

no agency or committee has sole Authority or power in a policy area

Incrementalism

comprehensive, one time decisions are rarely made

Ideology

a set of beliefs about what the world is like, values with which to appraise the state of the world, and beliefs and attitudes about how to make the world conform to these values

In Stage 8 Policy Succession, the outcome that is considered the most likely to occur is for the policy to be

Continuous with Change

Evaluation that relies on scientific methods, control group, statistical analysis, comparative data, detailed survey instruments, and trial & error is classified as

Systematic

In implementation what does organization mean?

setting up or assigning agents and equipping them with the necessary resources to run a program

In implementation what does application/extend the benefit mean?

execute the rules on day-to-day basis to deliver services, process applications, and distribute benefits to recipients

In implementation what does interpretation mean?

translating often vague or complex legislation into specific administrative rules regulations and guidelines

Budgeting

The funding of programs

Authorization

most offices in the house play this role, they have the power to authorize and re-authorize programs

In Policy Adoption, who adopts the policies?

Congress, President, Bureaucracy, and Court

In Policy Adoption, how are policies adopted?

Policies are adopted through the emergence and acceptance of a proposal by specific adoptors