HLTH 556 Politics and Health Policy

This course examines the framework and concepts used in public health policy. Processes of formulation, implementation and change will be discussed. Evidence-based decision making will be discussed. The role of politics in relation to health policy will be highlighted.

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Course Guide

View this course’s outcomes, policies, schedule, and more.*

*The information contained in our Course Guides is provided as a sample. Specific course curriculum and requirements for each course are provided by individual instructors each semester. Students should not use Course Guides to find and complete assignments, class prerequisites, or order books.


The underlying purpose of this course is to introduce the student into the public health policy debate as it relates to the political undertones within our society. It is designed for the student who is interested in creating, evaluating, or discerning current and future health policy to gain an understanding of the importance of the political ramifications of any healthcare program.


Textbook readings and lecture presentations

No details available.

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (4)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, for each Discussion, the student will post one thread of at least 400 words. The student must then post 2 replies of at least 200 words each. For each thread, the student must support his/her assertions with at least 2 scholarly citations in current APA or AMA format (format depends on the student’s degree requirements). Each reply must incorporate at least 1 scholarly citation in current APA or AMA format. (CLOs: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H)

Article Review Assignments (2)

The student will complete two 1−2-page reviews of current scholarly articles on current healthcare legislation and its possible effects on the healthcare system using the Article Review Template provided in Canvas. The article reviews must follow current APA or AMA format. (CLOs: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H)

Worldview Reflection Assignment

This reflection assignment has two parts with a summation/conclusion following. In the first part, the student will reflect on their own worldview. In the second part, the student will analyze a biblical worldview. The paper should be a minimum of 750 words in length, and all citations should follow AMA format. (CLOs: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H)

Healthcare Proposal: Outline Assignment

This assignment will include the following: legislative proposal, key terms, overview of legislation, and conclusion and be the framework for the Healthcare Proposal: Paper Assignment. There is no specific length or citation requirement for this assignment, but the student should be thorough about his or her proposal. Any citations used must follow current APA or AMA format. (CLOs: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, & H)

State Healthcare Analysis Assignment

The student will compare, analyze, and reflect upon state healthcare policies using the links provided in Canvas. The final analysis document should be a minimum of 3 pages in length (not including title and reference pages) and adhere to current APA or AMA format. (CLOs: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H)

Healthcare Proposal: Bibliography Assignment

This will contain all of the Healthcare Proposal: Paper Assignment resources. This assignment should include at least 10 scholarly, empirical, current sources, with at least 7 having been published within the past 5 years, and must be directly related to the student’s legislative proposal and supporting documentation. Bibliography must follow current APA or AMA format. (CLOs: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H)

Healthcare Proposal: Paper Assignment

This proposal for new healthcare legislation should be no less than 6 pages of text (not including title, references, or abstract pages) and include the following components: title page including running header, abstract and key word(s), introduction, legislative proposals, summary, and reference page. The paper must include a minimum of 10 scholarly sources, with at least 7 having been published within the past 5 years. The paper must adhere to current APA or AMA format. (CLOs: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H)


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