Health Care Policy

According to Webster’s Dictionary (2008) the word mandate means an authoritative order or command, a judicial order issued by a higher court to a lower one; a direction given to the government by the voters (p. 513). A policy defined as any plan or principle, which guides a person or groups in making decisions (p. 589). On March 23, 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, to provide health insurance coverage for all Americans (Tanner, 2010). The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a policy with mandates as part of its structure.

Health insurance mandate is a requirement or an order to cover health care providers benefits and patient populations. In the past Congress deferred health insurance regulation to the states, but with the passage of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) that has changed. Through researching an article found entitled Health Insurance Mandates in the States 2010 discuss how Congress is willing to micromanage health insurance benefits through mandates and the Council for Affordable Health Insurance (CAHI) has seen an increase in federal mandates over the past year. There are two new federal mandates from the 2008 legislative session but for this paper only one will be mentioned; the Michelle’s Law, which requires the continuation of health insurance coverage for full-time college students (Bunce, 2010).

The House and the Senate, have jurisdiction over the health care reform these committees consists of the Democratic chairs, the ranking Republican members and the general membership of Congress. The basic process by which a health care bill becomes law starts in the United States House of Representatives, which consists of the Ways and Means Committee with 26 Democrats from each state, with Charles B. Rangel, chairman from New York, and 15 Republicans. The Energy and Commerce Committee, consists of 36 Democrats with Henry A. Waxman from California as Chairman and 23 Republicans. The Education and Labor Committee, consists of 29 Democrats with one vacant seat and George Miller from California as Chairman. These three committees make a full house. The United States Senate is composed of Finance Committee, has 13 Democrats with Max Baucus from Montana as Chairman and 10 Republicans. The Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee has 12 Democrats, and 9 Republicans; both of these committees make a full Senate. The House and Senate had two different versions of the bill so it was sent to Conference where the two bills were reconciled into one bill, and it was sent back to the House and Senate for a final vote (United States Senate, 2009).

Congressional Committees hold meetings and are considering the health care proposal and beginning the process of moving legislation through Congress. The Congressional leadership includes Max Baucus, Ted Kennedy, Steny Hoyer, Henry Waxman, Pete Stark, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry