A guide to the top public policy issues in the United States right now

How MAHA plays out will largely depend on whether Trump’s picks for top public health positions are confirmed. President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office on January 20, leaving less than a month for the Biden administration to tie up any loose policy ends. “My job has always been to demonstrate to people how important patents are, to make patents sexy, because they’re so consequential and yet they seem so technical,” Parthasarathy said.

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• These data are created when people interact with public services and can be linked with rich survey data.
• In each section, there is a direct link between the type of problem, what is feasible to achieve in terms of policy influence, and how research can help.
• They encompass a wide range of areas, from healthcare and education to environmental protection and economic regulation.
• The Nurse Review (2015) called for more emphasis on multi-disciplinary research, and a recent survey of civil servants on how they could deliver better public services found that the top issue was cross-team collaboration.
• COVID-19, as well as climate change, an ageing society and the growing interest in wellbeing, may start to concentrate people’s minds on prevention in a way that opens up new impact opportunities.

Over 20% reported that they were underinsured, meaning that even though they had health insurance for a full year, it was not affordable. Policy Issues Dissected The Inflation Reduction Act focuses on reducing energy costs for households, lowering prescription drug prices, and supporting clean energy development. One area of drug pricing that will likely still see tangible movement is the continued implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and its provision that allows Medicare to negotiate the prices of certain Part D drugs.

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However, public policy is essential for shaping the direction of society and addressing its most pressing problems. Some of the top public policy issues facing Americans today include healthcare, immigration, climate change and the environment, abortion, and the economy. It’s important to have a holistic understanding of the history, recent developments, and the present day impact of these policies to become a meaningful advocate for change. Public policy is a broad term that refers to the decisions taken by a government in order to address specific public issues, such as taxation, healthcare, education, and infrastructure. Public policy is typically created through a process of political decision-making involving legislators, government officials, and policy analysts.

Rising prices for food, consumer goods, and services are among Americans’ top concerns, with over 70% expressing significant worry. Much of the program’s outcome will also depend on who ends up running CMS and who works under the administrator with responsibility for the drug program, Fiedler said. Fiedler noted there are plenty of questions swirling around how the Trump administration will approach the next steps of the program. While it’s unlikely the program will be rolled back or halted entirely, it’s possible the administration could tweak it or slow it down in favor of industry.

Turnover in the House earlier this year has narrowed the Republican majority even more, making it tougher for party leaders as they figure out how to address their legislative agenda. Packed policy agendas and shorter legislative sessions due to the presidential election mean 2024 is shaping up to be a fraught time for policymakers and government affairs professionals on Capitol Hill. As we face many pressing public policy issues in the U.S., we as citizens have the power to push for reform. We can raise our voices to protest harmful policies and advocate for new policies that will bring positive change. With the 2024 presidential election behind us, the United States will enter 2025 with a new administration and governing approach. This is an ideal moment for us to reflect on and be informed about the top public policy issues in the U.S.

“One important point is that some of Kennedy’s skepticism and questions around public health resonate with a lot of Americans,” she observed. His most notable nomination was Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). If confirmed, Kennedy could have major influence over the departments within HHS, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).