The policy making process in the United States is a rather complex one. Politics and lobbying intricacies make the process long and divergent. Each policy takes a different path due to the impact the policy will have on laws and other legislations. However, modeling a policy making process simplifies the problem into important stages significant in the policy making process. Similarly in making the Medicaid and Children’s Health insurance plan the process under which these policies would be developed would be complex and equally different. Additionally policies differ in the jurisdiction which it covers, that is, federal policies cover the entire state while state policies apply in respective states. This research seeks to understand the policy making process in the United States.
Problem Recognition and Initial Discussion
Every policy made by any authority is an effort to have a unified approach towards a particular issue. In most cases all policies are a result of an event or lack of one. For instance, events such as natural disasters including hurricanes, tragic manmade events such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks or an incidence of poor healthcare are all possible trigger events that could lead to formulation of a policy . Other concerns of social nature for example private security may also trigger a need for a policy. A Medicaid policy for instance would be triggered by cases where low income families or individuals do not get access to proper medical care. Appreciating the cost of having a family with children may also be a good reason to consider a policy for such families. All these issues may lead to a policy formulation.
After it has been ascertained that there is need for a policy to be formulated that would guide in a specific aspect, all stakeholders are informed of the need to develop such a policy. Parties with convergent interests begin to discuss the issues involved and a proposal is formulated. At this stage also, the relevant authorities that would be concerned with the policy are identified and the mandate of coordinating the policy making process is commonly passed to such authority.
Evaluation of Proposals and Counter Proposals
The emergence of such opposition to initial proposals heralds the process of evaluating any proposals presented. The policy, making team has the directive of evaluating the proposals before forwarding the proposal to the legislative authority involved. Such evaluation means involving several interested parties such as special interest groups, professionals, latent public, businesses involved in the sector, public administration authorities and volunteers. The process should allow to intense and open communication between these parties so that none of the parties is left out.
Taxonomy Evaluation Method
In this kind of evaluation, the developers of the policy evaluate the policy by breaking down the policy into many aspects. Taxonomy methodology requires that the policy be subdivided into a number of constituent facets. These aspects include goals of the policy, role of the policy, management authority of the policy and the implication if enacted .
Evaluating the policy in such a broken down manner will provide insights into detailed issues in the policy. Policies could also be classified in order to provide ease of evaluation.
Hierarchy Evaluation Methodology
In this kind of evaluation process, the policy is evaluated in stages according to hierarchy that defines the United State managerial system. In this methods, the lowest level that evaluates a policy, commonly referred to as the agent, performs its own evaluation before forwarding the same to a respective government department for further evaluation. The Government department then performs its own evaluation and if it approves the provision of the policy, then it forwards the policy to the Office of Management and Budget under the office of the President.
Should the department fail to approve the policy, it returns the policy back to the agency. The Office of Management and Budget performs similar evaluation before forwarding the proposal to the Congress which is the highest body that can review the policy. In this kind of evaluation it is indeed important to have proper communication. Passing communication, properly and on time, about issues affecting the policy ensures the success of the evaluation process.
Policy Analysis Stage
After all the parties have been involved and a final proposal arrived at, analysis of the said proposal is vital. In analyzing a policy, legislative bodies such as congress and the executive authority is given the opportunity to analyze the policy proposal for consideration. Political players have great influence at this stage. In the United States, all federal policies have to go through congress for thorough review and analysis of the policy . Both bodies at congress have the opportunity of analyzing the provisions of the policy proposal. The United States public policy system allows for lobbyists who have vested interest to convince members of congress on how to vote on the policy. Congress further has a research agency that assists in determining the intricacies involved in the policy. Additionally, house committees have the responsibility of analyzing the policy proposal and advising congress accordingly.
Government regulatory authorities also have to participate in the analysis stage. The executive needs to have a position with regard to the proposals and the issues that policy seeks to address. A Medicaid and children insurance plan would have to reviewed by medical and finance authorities in order to provide an executive position on the matter.
Legislation
Once a policy proposal has gone through all the required steps, it will become bill before Congress upon which the house will vote. Once the policy has been voted in by the congress the presidents signs it into law. The effective date of the policy is declared so as to give implementing bodies the mandate to move and implement the provisions of the policy.
Revision of the Policy
After the policy has been passed into law, it is at this point that implementation issues come to the fold. Interested parties, advocates, implementing bodies and opponents begin to examine the result of the policy with regard to varied issues (Cochran,et al, 2011). Consequences of implementing g policy such as the Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance plan will have implication on finances of the country. Additionally the medical fraternity would have to restructure its operation in order to accommodate changes of the policy.
Data is collected from parties who are directly affected by the policy. Citizens should also be including in this final evaluation of the policy. If there is a problem that comes out of implementing the new policy, then the policy follows the same process in order to be reexamined. Implementing authorities should take the opportunity and suggest adjustments that would best improve the policy.
Conclusion
Policy making is vital for any country to have a unified approach towards sensitive issues of the society. For the case of United State, government policy towards Health, Education and National security are the most important. Government agencies have been task to implement provisions of policies. However, developing such policies is a complex process. Events trigger ideas of developing government policy or regulation. For instance, the need for a policy that would assist families with children and low incomes groups is one such need. After consideration of a need for a policy, several stakeholders are brought in to assist in formulating such policies. Evaluating provisions of such policy is very important in ensuring that the policy solves the intended problem. The policy should then be analyzed before it is passed into law. Finally it imperative to review policy passed in order to ensure that it serves the purpose it was intended. Amending any policy as authorities may deem fit is also acceptable.
Birkland, & Thomas, A. (2010). An Introduction to the Policy Process: Theories, Concepts, and Models of Public Policy Making. New Jersey: M.E. Sharpe,.
Cochran, C. E., Mayer, L. C., Carr, R. T., Cayer, N. J., & Mckenzie, M. J. (2011). American Public Policy: An Introduction. New York: Cengage Learning.
Gerston, L. N. (2010). Public Policy Making: Process and Principles. Boston: M.E. Sharpe.
