Governing Health: The Politics of Health Policy

Weissert, Carol S.; Weissert, William G.; McFarlane, Deborah R.; Hosler, Fred W.

doi:10.1215/03616878-23-6-1012b

Cited by 32 publications

(31 citation statements)

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“…My measure compares well with recent analyses of the groups in the study. For example, in a recent book on health care politics, Weissert and Weissert (2002) cited the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) as an example of a group with a clear issue niche (p. 126). This observation fits well with my data, with AAMC falling roughly halfway between a clique mix and a niche mix.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Outside the Issue Niche

Heaney

2004

American Politics Research

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Interest groups care deeply about, and struggle to shape, their identities on Capitol Hill. A group's identity is what makes it unique and separates it from other organizations in the advocacy community. Previous research has argued that interest group identities are formed by creating exclusive niches over narrow policy issues, but this research has neglected the degree to which groups depend on representation, ideology, and advocacy techniques in establishing their uniqueness. The author argues that interest group identities are formed in multiple dimensions, with issues serving as an important, but nondominant, basis for identification. Qualitative and quantitative methods are used to analyze data from interviews with representatives of 168 national interest groups working on health care. The findings provide a basis for bridging theories of group maintenance and influence by demonstrating that identity encourages groups to consider simultaneously the ways their behaviors are perceived on Capitol Hill and by their members.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Outside the Issue Niche

Heaney

2004

American Politics Research

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“…Through his command of media attention, leadership of his party, political appointments, and other institutional resources, the president is effective in setting the national agenda, including health policy (102, 167,201). In contrast to many other political systems, however, the power of the chief executive in policy formulation is particularly weak and the chief source of influence is not the formal authority but the power to persuade others inside and outside of government (126,140).…”

Section: Political Institutionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Second, the federal government often supports critical research and development-for example, in risk adjustment of capitation payments-that enables development of new state and local programs. Moreover, much state health policy is heavily influenced either by regulatory federalism in the form of constitutional or legislative mandates or by fiscal federalism in the form of federal matching funds and grants (4,201). Third, most policy innovations are not thoroughly tested before similar policies are adopted in other jurisdictions, or even before they are modified in the state of origin.…”

Section: Political Institutionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Politics of Public Health Policy

Oliver

2006

Annu. Rev. Public Health

253

179

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Key Words agenda setting, incrementalism, health reform, policy entrepreneur, implementation ■ Abstract Politics, for better or worse, plays a critical role in health affairs. The purpose of this article is to articulate a role for political analysis of public health issues, ranging from injury and disease prevention to health care reform. It begins by examining how health problems make it onto the policy agenda. Perceptions regarding the severity of the problem, responsibility for the problem, and affected populations all influence governmental responses. Next, it considers how bounded rationality, fragmented political institutions, resistance from concentrated interests, and fiscal constraints usually lead political leaders to adopt incremental policy changes rather than comprehensive reforms even when faced with serious public health problems. It then identifies conditions under which larger-scale transformation of health policy can occur, focusing on critical junctures in policy development and the role of policy entrepreneurs in seizing opportunities for innovation. Finally, it reviews the challenges confronting officials and agencies who are responsible for implementing and administering health policies. Public health professionals who understand the political dimensions of health policy can conduct more realistic research and evaluation, better anticipate opportunities as well as constraints on governmental action, and design more effective policies and programs.

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“…However, zooming on agenda setting and formulation allowed unpacking of this complexity and gave insights into the policy making processes (Kingdon, 2003). Power is the heart of health policy making (Erasmus andGilson, 2008, Weissert andWeissert, 2012) so drawing on power approaches to decision making, Mintzberg's conceptualisation of power and Ribot and Peluso's theory of access that is benefits from access to power emanating from people and institutions was appropriate to unpack the varied power sources of policy actors, how they deal with and control each other and the processes through which they are able to exercise their powers. The empirically grounded case studies point to the importance of power (control over and access to knowledge, skills, resources and authority) and its use in a skilful way to convince those to whom one has access, to use one's resources, evidence, authority and technical expertise to their fullest in negotiation, to sense what is possible and to organise the necessary alliances and networks -as suggested by Mintzberg (1983).…”

Section: Theoretical and Methodological Considerations Theoretical Comentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Power is a key factor in policy process (Erasmus andGilson, 2008, Weissert andWeissert, 2012) and a highly contested concept (Parsons, 1995). Mintzberg (1983) simply refers to power as the capacity to effect (affect) outcomes -decisions and the actions.…”

Section: Theoretical Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

National level maternal health decisions : towards an understanding of health policy agenda setting and formulation in Ghana

Koduah

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Governing Health: The Politics of Health Policy

Cited by 32 publications

References 1 publication

Outside the Issue Niche

Outside the Issue Niche

The Politics of Public Health Policy

National level maternal health decisions : towards an understanding of health policy agenda setting and formulation in Ghana

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