Policymaking Flashcards
Health Maintenance Organization
a health insurance organization to which subscribers pay a predetermined fee in return for a range of medical services from physicians and healthcare workers registered with the organization
Uninsured Americans
people in America not covered by insurance
Medicare
the federal health insurance program for people who are 65 or older, certain younger people with disabilities, and people with End-Stage Renal Disease
Medicaid
a joint federal and state program that helps low-income individuals or families pay for the costs associated with long-term medical and custodial care
National Health Insurance
health insurance that insures a national population for the costs of health care and usually is instituted as a program of healthcare reform
Children’s Health Insurance Program
a medical coverage source for individuals under age 19 whose parents earn too much income to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough to pay for private coverage
Health Security Act (failed Clinton plan)
a bill to ensure individual and family security through health care coverage for all Americans in a manner that contains the rate of growth in health care costs and promotes responsible health insurance practices, to promote choice in health care, and to ensure and protect the health care of all Americans
Affordable Care Act
a US law aimed at reforming the American health care system
Environmental Protection Agency
an agency of the United States federal government whose mission is to protect human and environmental health
National Environmental Policy Act
a United States environmental law that established a U.S. national policy promoting the enhancement of the environment
Environmental Impact Statements
a document prepared to describe the effects for proposed activities on the environment
Clean Air Act of 1970
a United States federal law designed to control air pollution on a national level
Water Pollution Control Act of 1972
to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation’s waters by preventing point and nonpoint pollution sources
Endangered Species Act of 1973
an act aims to provide a framework to conserve and protect endangered and threatened species and their habitats
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
the principal federal law in the United States governing the disposal of solid waste and hazardous waste
Superfund
a US federal government program designed to fund the cleanup of toxic wastes
Fossil Feuls
a natural fuel such as coal or gas, formed in the geological past from the remains of living organisms
Nuclear Energy
the energy released during nuclear fission or fusion, especially when used to generate electricity
Alternative Energy
energy generated in ways that do not deplete natural resources or harm the environment
Global Warming
a gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth’s atmosphere generally attributed to the greenhouse effect
Foreign Policy
a government’s strategy in dealing with other nations
United Nations
economic and social development programs, improving human rights and reducing global conflicts
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
an organizational that provides a mutual defense from external threats
European Union
a politico-economic union of 28 member states that are located primarily in Europe
Secretary of State
the head of the State Department, responsible for foreign affairs
Secretary of Defense
the principal defense policy advisor to the President
National Security Counsil
the President’s principal forum for considering national security and foreign policy matters with his senior national security advisors and cabinet officials
Joint Chiefs of Staff
the chiefs of staff of the US Army and Air Force, the commandant of the US Marine Corps, and the chief of US Naval Operations
Central Intelligence Agency
a foreign intelligence service of the U.S. Government, tasked with gathering, processing and analyzing national security information from around the world, primarily through the use of human intelligence
Isolationism
a policy of remaining apart from the affairs or interests of other groups, especially the political affairs of other countries
Containment Doctrine
a United States policy to prevent the spread of communism abroad
Cold War
the state of political hostility that existed between the Soviet bloc countries and the US-led Western powers from 1945 to 1990
Arms Race
a competition between nations for superiority in the development and accumulation of weapons
Detente
the easing of hostility or strained relations
Interdependency
mutual dependence between things
Tariff
a tax or duty to be paid on a particular class of imports or exports
Balance of Trade
the difference in value between a country’s imports and exports
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
is a permanent, intergovernmental Organization, created at the Baghdad Conference on September 10–14, 1960, by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela
Foreign Aid
money, food, or other resources given or lent by one country to another
