INTEREST GROUPS INFLUENCE HEALTH POLICY

Interest Groups Influence Health Policy

Interest Groups Influence Health Policy

Introduction

Interest groups play a major role in politics across the country. People join these groups to show their interest in politics as well as speak their opinions on certain issues. Interest groups primary function is to influence government actions and policy.

        Some of the most influential interest groups are general business organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, schoolteachers' organizations like the NEA, utility companies and associations such as electric, gas, cable, telephone, and water, and lawyers and health care organizations. These groups tend to be well represented and for the most part, get the attention of state legislators while speaking. The more diverse a state economy is, the less powerful interest groups will be. Other factors that impact the influence of interest groups are voter turnout - the lower the turnout the better, staff of the legislature - the smaller, less paid means less professional and easily influenced by lobbyists, and session - the shorter the better (leaves no time for research).

Discussion

Regulation of healthcare in America continues to be a divisive topic. The regulatory process is complex, impacting healthcare payers, providers, and consumers. Polar views on market dynamics and the right to healthcare contribute to the quagmire. Healthcare regulations thus far have been made in piecemeal fashion. As the issues of cost, quality, and access to care grow with the aging of the U.S. citizenry, Federal change may be in store.(Evans,2001)

• Regulation and Policy - Differences Regulation and policy are different. According to the Merriam-Webster's dictionary, a policy is a high-level overall plan embracing the general goals and acceptable procedures especially of a governmental body and a regulation is a rule or order issued by an executive authority or regulatory agency of a government and having the force of law.The former is designed to facilitate decision-making and the latter is designed to control and govern the decisions.

• Need for Regulation and Policy Regulations are needed for three primary purposes: (1) to promote adherence to standards, (2) to manage and simplify market complexity, and (3) to fill gaps due to private sector inaction.

First, regulations and policies are used to control behavior of certain groups and hold them accountable to set standards. This control is especially necessary in a capitalist market, where the interests of business and consumers conflict. In the case of pharmaceuticals, manufacturers are held to high manufacturing standards. For healthcare providers, association-set standards of care and medical guidelines establish treatment protocols. For insurers and sites of care, Federal, State, and industry-affiliated organizations monitor facilities and processes. Without regulation, variation would naturally exist.

Second, complexity and competing interests invite regulation. The complexity of players in the U.S. healthcare system and the myriad insurance provisions and financing sources led government to simplify Medicare, for example. Medicare recipients were confused by the multitude of overlapping options for supplemental Medicare coverage. Moreover, in many cases, one entity can more effectively make decisions to benefit the whole than numerous decision-making ...