Law: Policy Modification and Incrementalism Coursework

The process of policy initiation is triggered when there is a need to address related problems to an issue by seeking possible solutions to political circumstances, which ultimately leads to the development of legislation which is then implemented. However, policy modification is brought about by formulated legislation being stimulated by appropriate changes that arise after policy initiation. Therefore, policy initiation is distinct from policy modification because it forms the basis in which the formulation of solutions to emerging problems is altered due to gaps in their implementation. Policy initiation is rare because it deals with emerging problems such as the Maternity and Infancy Act of 1921 (Meacham, 2020). On the other hand, policy modification is common because it addresses the inadequacies of the previous policy.

Moreover, incrementalism in public policy comes in when modifications applied to existing policies are done gradually. These changes are not done comprehensively but in small steps. The primary purpose of incrementalism is to create stability in the changes made to modified policies n and legislations. It is not rational to undertake significant policy departures because they will not result in predictable and stable consequences. For instance, the parity between mental health and medical health insurance exists. Several examples exist, such as The mental Health Parity Act, The Clinton Executive Order, and The Mental Health and Addiction Parity Act.

There is an interrelationship between rulemaking and operating and how it affects modifications. As a result, rulemaking cannot guide its implementation and requires modifications to make it better. It is the work of managers to modify policies, mainly operating policies. They establish relevant standards or operating objectives to make changes. Therefore, this interrelationship aims to improve the policy-making process to make changes in operations.

Reference

Meacham, M. (2020). Longest’s health policymaking in the United States. Health Administration Press.