Policy Making for Health Care, the Environment and Energy

1. Policy Making for Health Care, the Environment and Energy

2. Health Care Policy • The Health of Americans • Americans generally lag behind other similar countries in some key health statistics. • Most significantly, Americans have a lower life expectancy and higher infant mortality rate • America spends more than any other country.

3. Health Care Policy • Access to Health Care • Health Insurance. • Millions of Americans have no health insurance. • Health insurance is usually linked to having a job. • About 20 million Americans have inadequate health insurance.

4. Health Care Policy • Access to Health Care • Managed Care. • HMOs provide health care for a yearly fee through contracts or insurance companies. • About 60 percent of Americans are covered by HMOs • Designed to reduce costs through oversight and limiting patient choices.

5. Health Care Policy • The Role of Government in Health Care • Medicare: provides hospitalization insurance for elderly and optional coverage for other medical expenses. • Medicaid: a public assistance program to provide health care for the poor. Paid for by the national and state governments.

6. Clinton and Health Care Reform • Several taxes would have increased, all of which were opposed by those who would pay them. • States were to negotiate with providers and handle premiums, plans and payments. • The health care industry lobbied hard against it. • It eventually died in Congress, even though Democrats controlled both houses of Congress.

7. ACA/Obamacare • Requires insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions • Requires Americans to purchase health insurance/single payer provision • The Supreme Court upheld Obamacare under the government’s taxation power

8. Environmental Policy Environmental Protection Agency • Environmental Impact Statements: report that specifies likely environmental impact of a proposed action- filed with the EPA.U • Environmental Impact Statements by environmental groups to challenge and delay projects they object to. • Clean Air Act of 1970: reduce auto pollution.

9. Environmental Policy Water Pollution Control Act of 1972 • Intended to clean up the nation’s rivers and lakes, requiring the use of pollution control technology • Has helped reclaim numerous rivers and lakes since its passage. • But it misses “runoff” pollution from city streets and other areas.

10. Environmental Policy • Wilderness Preservation. • The U.S. is a world leader in wilderness preservation. • The national parks and national forests may be restricted to keep them for future generations. • Endangered Species Act • Government protects those species listed as endangered, regardless of costs. This prevents development.

11. Environmental Policy • Toxic Wastes • Chemicals and nuclear fuel that are hazardous to humans and animals. • Superfund: created in 1980 to clean up hazardous waste sites. • Some sites are completely clean, others may never be clean enough to use for anything. • Current law requires tracking of hazardous chemicals and their disposal.

12. Energy Policy Sources of Energy

13. Energy Policy • 87% of the nation’s energy comes from coal, oil and natural gas. • The most controversial energy source is nuclear, especially after the earthquake in Japan. • Policymakers have shown more interest in conservation, alternative fuels and renewable fuel sources.