Assignment Content
Policy Brief
Analyzing policy requires an understanding not only of existing policies and proposed policies, but also where policies stem from and where they are likely to go. Understanding how stakeholders advocate for or against policies is also important. This assignment requires students to select from the listed policies and write a brief that provides an overview of these essential topics. A sample can be found here: https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hpb20160225.954803/listitem/healthpolicybrief_153.pdf
Each policy brief should be approximately 2 pages (double-spaced), with the following sections:
Issue
Background
Policy
Debate
What’s next
A minimum of 5 academic sources should be used, appropriately cited in text and on a reference page
Choose from one of the following topics:
1. Federal regulation of prescription drug pricing
2. Medicaid work requirements
3. Price transparency
4. Addressing the ACA “Family Glitch”
Watch: https://www.congress.gov/legislative-process
Readings:
Textbook Chapters:
Meacham, M.R. (2021). Longest’s health policymaking in the United States (7th Ed.). Chicago, IL: Health
Administration Press.
-Chapter 4, Overview of Health Policymaking
-Chapter 5, Policy Formulation: Agenda Setting
-Chapter 6, Policy Formulation: Development of Legislation
Recommended readings:
Cohn, J. (2021) The Ten Year War: Chapters 9 & 10 (attached PDF) St. Martin’s Press
Haskell (2014) Congress in Context (attached PDFs)
