Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 1. Health Policy Change Why Has Health Care Dominated the Policy Agenda? Explanations from Social Science Overview 2. Exploring the Foundations of Dynamic Policy Change Path Dependence The Importance of Public Opinion in Shaping Health Care Policy American Health Care Policy The Dynamic Nature of Health Care Reform? Incrementalism versus Dynamism in Health Care 3. Path Dependence and Policy Change Introduction Social Constructions and Medicare How the Elderly Lost and Regained Their Health Insurance Analyzing Change Does the Mood Really Matter? Conclusion 4. Presidents as Advocates, Entrepreneurs, and Agenda Setters Introduction Presidents as Advocates and Entrepreneurs Policy Change Research The Presidents and Their Policies Data and Methods Results Discussion Conclusion 5. Healthy,Wealthy, and Wise? Introduction Theories of Information The Failure of the Health Security Act Information and Policy Support Measuring and Testing Knowledge A Model of Reciprocal Causation Results Conclusion 6. Examining the Impact of Countervalent Messages on Policy Support Introduction Media Effects: Negative Advertsing and "Harry and Louise" The Media and the Health Security Act Study One: Testing the Strength of the Countervalent Information Message Study Two: Understanding the Effects of Political Sophistication Discussion Conclusion 7. Media Effects and Policy Opinions Introduction Media Priming Media Coverage and Information about the Health Security Act Study One: Data and Methods Study One: A Model of Priming Effects on 1996 Presidential Vote Intentions Study One: Results and Discussion Study Two: An Experimental Test of Media Priming of Health Care in the 2000 Presidential Race Study Two: Data and Methods A Model of Priming Effects on Candidate Evaluations Study Two: Results and Discussion Conclusions 8. Dynamic Health Policy Change Introduction The Public Mood and National Health Care Spending Health Policy History and Presidential Activity The Rise and the Demise of the Health Security Act Conclusion Methodological Appendix Notes References Index

About the Author

Richard E. Chard is a Senior Research Associate at the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Reviews

"Health care issues have been receiving a great deal of attention in the United States, but there have been few systematic examinations of why certain health care initiatives succeed or fail. Chard fills a void in this area by focusing on a key linkage--the relationship between public opinion and health care policy. He also provides valuable insights into the nature of the underlying political system that has affected the development of health care policy in America."