AP Government

Unit 4 – Healthcare & Environmental policy

Healthcare policy

• American healthcare outcomesUS generally lags behind other countries

in key health statistics• Lower adult life expectancy • Higher infant mortality rate• Higher rates of obesity, diabetes

The Cost of Health Care

• US spends more than any other country—$2.3 trillion and 1/7 of GDP

• Reasons for high costs: High-tech medicineInsurance pays for health careMalpractice lawsuits drive up costs

Healthcare problems (pre-2009)

• Health Insurance46 million in US had no health insuranceMost common reason for losing health

insurance is losing or changing a jobClosely tied to race & income

• Higher income = more likely to have insurance

Managed Care

• Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)Organization set up to provide healthcare to a

large group collectivelyEconomy of scale

• Designed to reduce costs through oversight and limiting patient choicesLimits choice of health care providers

Pre-2009 gov involvement

• Gov in US less involved than other countries• Medicare

Provides hospitalization insurance for elderly & optional coverage for other medical expenses

• MedicaidProgram to provide healthcare for the poorFunded by state govs mainly with federal tax $

Healthcare reform efforts

• ClintonFought for universal coverageInterest groups lobbied hard against planBill died in Congress

Healthcare reform efforts

• GW BushHealth savings plans

• Allowed tax-free spending on healthcare

Medicare drug benefit

Major issues in healthcare

• Malpractice insurance• Stem cell research• Elevated costs for uninsured• Preventative care

Environmental policy

• Environmental Protection Agency (1970)Administers gov’s enviro legislationAdministers policies dealing w/toxic

wasteLargest independent agency (in # of ee)

Clean Air Act

• Originally passed ’63, amended ’70 & ’90• EPA responsible to regulate pollution

TransportationFactoriesGreenhouse gasesAcid rain

Clean Water Act

• Passed in 1972• Intended to clean rivers & lakes requiring

the use of pollution control technology• Helped reclaim numerous rivers & lakes

• Misses “runoff” pollution from city streets & other areas

Other environmental policies

• Wilderness PreservationThe U.S. is a world leaderNational parks, forests, wildlife areas

restricted to development

• Endangered Species ActFederal gov must protect endangered

species regardless of economic impact

Toxic waste

• Superfund – created by Congress in 1980Clean up hazardous waste sitesMoney comes from taxing chemical productsVirtually eliminated haphazard dumping of toxic waste,

but less successful in cleaning up existing waste

• Nuclear waste presents serious challenge—Yucca Flats in Nevada dumping ground for nuclear waste

Sources of energy in US

Energy politics

• 85% of US energy from coal, oil & natural gas

• Coal is most abundant fuel – 90% of nation’s energy resources – but also the dirtiest

• Oil – 40% of energy, but creates dependence on foreign (especially Middle East) sources

• Most controversial energy source is nuclear

Energy supplies & consumption

Global climate change

• Earth is warming 2°-6° by 2100 due to CO2

• US is world’s leading producer of CO2

• Never ratified Kyoto Protocol treatyKyoto required reduction in greenhouse gas

emissions to 1990 levels by 2010

• Some states have own CO2 emissions laws

• Environmental cleanup is political issue b/c it puts public interest against private concerns

• 60s-70s – Explosion of environmental groups

• Others oppose strict environmental laws, claiming it may hurt economy

Policy topics and us

• Healthcare & environment issues involve all levels of government

• Highly technical issues limit citizens’ participation & knowledge

• Relies heavily on group participationGroups (not individuals) needed in order to have

resources to afford necessary scientific research

Technology and policy

• Technology is important to healthcare & environmental policiesHealthcare has generally improved but

costs have increasedQuality of life has improved, but reliance

on nonrenewable energy sources have contributed to environmental degradation