Public Policy Approaches to Population Health

The United States spends more per capita on health care than any other country and has worse health outcomes. Public policy can influence almost all aspects of health. Publicly funded insurance pays for health care for more than half of Americans. For individuals and employers that purchase insurance, the regulatory environment influences which insurance products can be purchased as well as by whom and for how much. Health policy levers at federal, state, and local levels can exert financial and regulatory influence over care. This influence determines what is health care, with increasing federal and state efforts to encourage nontraditional services.