Assignment: Policy Formulation- Agenda Setting
Length: 4 to 6 pages.
Policy Formulation: Agenda Setting.
Examining the Individual Mandate
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires all US citizens and legal residents to obtain qualifying health coverage. In this week, you will explore the Individual Mandate section of the new health reform law.
Tasks:
i. Explain the Individual Mandate included in the Patient Protection and ACA including the tax penalties that will be imposed if a person or a family does not obtain qualifying health coverage.
ii. Analyze the eligibility criteria for exemptions and subsidies to obtain coverage.
iii. Explain one policy change or enhancement you would recommend if you were required to ensure the success of the Individual Mandate included in the Patient Protection and ACA and justify the intended outcome.
The existence of health related societal problems does not automatically trigger policy changes that solve such problems. Each problem needs to be understood including all its complexity, solutions and potential solutions need to be identified, and the current political circumstances need to be understood in order to assess the will of the pubic as well as law makers. As it happens, the problems that are identified as important or urgent get immediate attention from policymakers. Aggressive congressional intervention usually depends on its public salience and the degree of group conflict surrounding it. Some problems gain traction simply due to a confluence of events and political ripeness. Potential solutions to problems may not be readily present and will need formulation.
Alternatively, policy making can be slowed if there are several potential solutions, each favored by a different interest group. Analysis plays a key role in identifying optimal solutions for inclusion in a policy. Apart from an analysis of advantage-to-disadvantage of alternative solutions, there should always be an awareness of unintended consequences and room for evolution. In this regard, data driven analysis with quantifiable results always has a better chance of finding a place on the policy agenda. All other things being equal, the existence or lack of political will may render an agenda stagnant. The political circumstance surrounding each problem-potential solution is a crucial third variable in creating a window of opportunity.
Additionally, the influence and tenor of interest groups play a pivotal role in moving agendas forward. Sometimes, individual policymakers seem to make frustratingly counterintuitive decisions, and it may be because of how much power a certain interest group may wield over them. Interest groups may use strategies such as lobbying, campaigning through advertisements, organized protests, electioneering, litigation, as well as monetary "carrot and stick" tactics. Lastly, chief executives such as presidents, governors, mayors, etc. also influence policy agenda.
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
i) The answer should be typed, using Times New Roman font (size 12), double spaced, with one-inch margins on all sides.
ii) The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
iii) Also include a reference page. The Citations and references must follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.
Reference
i. HealthCare gov. (n.d.). The fee for not having health insurance.
ii. Jost, T. (2017, August 21). The IRS Is Still Enforcing The Individual Mandate, Despite What Many Taxpayers Believe.