Question 1

The amount of money an individual must pay before an insurance provider begins to pay for health care services is called the premium.

Accepted Answer

The amount of money an individual must pay before an insurance provider begins to pay for health care services is called the deductible, not the premium. The premium is the amount paid, often monthly, to keep the insurance policy active.

Question 2

Health savings accounts HSAs) were designed to encourage health care consumers to be more conscious of costs; in these plans, consumers pay for a service using money from their HSA rather than having an insurance company cover all or most of the costs.

Accepted Answer

HSAs were indeed designed to encourage consumers to be more cost-conscious by having them pay for healthcare services using pre-tax dollars saved in these accounts, which can make consumers more mindful of the costs since they are directly paying for services up to the deductible of their high-deductible health plan.

Question 3

States are governed by federal health policies and therefore have no flexibility in how they manage programs like Medicaid or how their local health departments operate.

Accepted Answer

States have significant flexibility in managing programs like Medicaid and can tailor their local health department operations within federal guidelines, allowing for variations in healthcare management and policies across states.

Question 4

Which one series of terms below accurately describes the U.S. health care system?

Accepted Answer

The U.S. health care system is known for being complex due to its multiple payers and providers, fragmented due to the lack of a single, unified system, and high cost compared to other countries' health care systems.

Question 5

If health care services are paid for by a local, state, or government source, they are paid for through:

Accepted Answer

Public financing refers to the funding of healthcare services by local, state, or government sources, distinguishing it from private financing, which involves private entities or individuals paying for healthcare services.

Question 6

The Hill-Burton Act of 1947 impacted the U.S. health care system in which one of the following ways?

Accepted Answer

The Hill-Burton Act of 1947 provided federal grants and loans to improve the physical plant of the U.S. healthcare system. It significantly increased the number of hospital beds and expanded access to healthcare facilities across the country.

Question 7

During the 20^th century, every U.S. president passed a new health reform bill.

Accepted Answer

Not every U.S. president during the 20th century passed a new health reform bill; significant health legislation was not enacted by every president during this period.

Question 8

Health care expenditures in the U.S. have steadily increased over the past three decades both in terms of total cost and in percent of gross domestic product.

Accepted Answer

Health care expenditures in the U.S. have indeed been on the rise over the past three decades, reflecting increases in both the absolute spending and as a percentage of the gross domestic product (GDP), driven by factors such as aging population, advances in medical technology, and rising prices for medical services.

Question 9

What legislation provided start-up funds to establish new health maintenance organizations HMOs) and required that employers offer an HMO if one was available in their communities?

Accepted Answer

The Health Maintenance Act of 1973 provided start-up funds to establish new health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and mandated that employers offer an HMO option if one was available in their community.

Question 10

The majority of employer-based health insurance plans in the U.S. are managed care plans - HMOs or PPOs.

Accepted Answer

The majority of employer-based health insurance plans in the United States are indeed managed care plans, which include Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) and Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs). These plans focus on providing health care services through a network of providers to control costs and ensure quality.

Question 11

Most industrialized nations have health systems like the U.S. - in other words, systems in which there is no central control and there is no guarantee to health care.

Accepted Answer

Most industrialized nations have health systems that are more centrally controlled and often guarantee healthcare to all citizens, unlike the predominantly private, insurance-based system in the U.S.

Question 12

Medicaid provides health coverage to low-income pregnant women and their children and also covers some individuals with disabilities.

Accepted Answer

Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that helps with medical costs for some people with limited income and resources, and it does indeed cover low-income pregnant women, their children, and some individuals with disabilities.

Question 13

No state has ever implemented a mandate that all its residents purchase health insurance coverage.

Accepted Answer

Massachusetts implemented a health insurance mandate for all its residents in 2006 under Governor Mitt Romney, which served as a model for the later nationwide Affordable Care Act.

Question 14

The U.S. health care system is the costliest health system in the world.

Accepted Answer

The U.S. health care system is indeed the most expensive in the world, both in per capita spending and as a percentage of GDP, according to various studies and data from organizations such as the World Health Organization and the OECD.

Question 15

Nearly half 46.2%) of all U.S. health expenditures in 2008 were paid for by which one of the following sources?

Accepted Answer

In 2008, nearly half (46.2%) of all U.S. health expenditures were covered by government sources, including federal, state, and local government funding for health care services. This reflects the significant role of government in financing health care in the United States, through programs like Medicare and Medicaid.

Question 16

What is the primary source of payment for health care services among people under age 65 in the United States?

Accepted Answer

Private health insurance is the primary source of payment for health care services among people under age 65 in the United States, as it covers a significant portion of the population through employer-sponsored plans and individual policies.

Question 17

is as an authoritative decision made in the legislative, executive, or judicial branches of government that is intended to direct or influence actions or behaviors related to health.

Accepted Answer

Health policy refers to decisions, plans, and actions that are undertaken to achieve specific healthcare goals within a society. These policies can guide the legislative, executive, or judicial branches of government in making decisions that influence public health and healthcare delivery systems.

Question 18

In which one of the following phases of policy making would rules and regulations be developed to operationalize the policy?
a. Policy formation
b. Policy implementation
c. Policy modification
d. Policy repeal

Accepted Answer

The correct phase for developing rules and regulations to operationalize the policy is b. Policy implementation.

Question 19

Which one of the following programs provides health coverage to adults age 65 and older in the U.S.?

Accepted Answer

Medicare is the program that provides health coverage to adults age 65 and older in the U.S., as well as to younger individuals with certain disabilities.

Quiz 14: Health Policy and the Us Health Care System