Categories of health policy - Allocative policies are designed to provide net benefits to some distinct group or class of individuals, at the expense of others, in order to ensure that public objectives are met. Medical school subsidies fall in this category. Regulatory policies are designed to influence the actions, behaviors, and decisions of others through directive approaches. The first four are variations of economic regulation Importance of Political competence in the pursuit of health - Supports the ability to assess the impact of public policies on one domain of interest or responsibility and the ability to exert influence in the public policymaking process. It is important to anyone who wishes to be effectively involved in the nation's pursuit of health.
Many participants seek to further their objectives by influencing the outcomes of the process.
It entails knowing how and where to exert influence. It is based on a thorough knowledge of the process through which policy is formulated, implemented, and modified. Politically competent people can become involved in the process at any of the points during the process. Politically competent people also know how to participate effectively in the actual drafting of legislative proposals or in providing testimony at the hearings in which legislation is developed. The political marketplace - Decisions makers use different decision criteria than those used in traditional economic markets.