Wilkes NSG 505 Health Policy & Politics Exam 2026/2027 | 100
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Section 1: Health Policy Foundations (Questions 1–10)
Question 1
Health policy is best defined as:
A. A single law passed by Congress
B. A set of decisions, plans, and actions undertaken to achieve specific health care goals within a society
C. The private insurance rules used by hospitals
D. The clinical guidelines written by nurses
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Health policy encompasses the broad decisions, plans, and actions that governments,
organizations, and stakeholders make to shape health care delivery, financing, and outcomes. It is not
limited to one law or to private rules.
Question 2
Which of the following is a primary goal of health policy?
A. Increasing profits for insurance companies
B. Ensuring access, quality, and cost containment
C. Reducing the number of health care workers
D. Eliminating all government involvement in health
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Health policy typically pursues the “iron triangle” of access, quality, and cost. Other goals
may include equity, safety, and public health protection, but access, quality, and cost are central.
Question 3
Public health policy differs from health care policy because public health policy focuses more on:
A. Individual medical treatment
B. Population-level prevention and health promotion
C. Hospital reimbursement
D. Private physician fees
,Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Public health policy targets populations through prevention, health promotion,
surveillance, and environmental protections. Health care policy more often addresses personal medical
services, financing, and delivery.
Question 4
Which statement best describes the policy-making process?
A. It is linear and always moves from problem to solution in one step
B. It is cyclical and includes agenda setting, formulation, adoption, implementation, and evaluation
C. It only involves elected officials
D. It ends once a law is passed
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The policy process is often cyclical: problem identification, agenda setting, policy
formulation, adoption, implementation, evaluation, and revision. It involves many actors, not only
elected officials, and continues after passage.
Question 5
Agenda setting refers to:
A. The final vote on a bill
B. The process by which issues come to the attention of policymakers
C. The evaluation of a policy’s outcomes
D. The writing of regulations
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Agenda setting determines which issues are considered important enough for government
or organizations to address. It is influenced by media, interest groups, crises, data, and public opinion.
Question 6
Which of the following is an example of a health policy stakeholder?
A. Professional nursing organizations
B. Insurance companies
C. Patient advocacy groups
D. All of the above
Correct Answer: D
,Rationale: Stakeholders include anyone affected by or interested in a policy, such as providers,
payers, patients, employers, advocacy groups, and government agencies.
Question 7
The term “policy window” refers to:
A. A physical window in a government building
B. A brief opportunity when conditions are favorable for policy change
C. A budget line item
D. A type of insurance plan
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A policy window opens when the problem, policy, and politics streams align, creating an
opportunity for action. It may close quickly, so advocates must act strategically.
Question 8
Which of the following best describes “evidence-based policy”?
A. Policy based only on political opinion
B. Policy informed by the best available research, data, and contextual factors
C. Policy that ignores stakeholder input
D. Policy that never changes
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Evidence-based policy uses rigorous research and data, combined with contextual
knowledge and stakeholder values, to make decisions. It does not guarantee perfect outcomes but
improves decision quality.
Question 9
Which level of government primarily funds and administers Medicaid?
A. Federal only
B. State only
C. Federal and state jointly
D. Local only
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Medicaid is a joint federal-state program. The federal government sets minimum
standards and provides matching funds, while states administer eligibility, benefits, and delivery.
, Question 10
Which of the following is a common barrier to effective health policy implementation?
A. Clear communication
B. Adequate funding
C. Competing priorities and limited resources
D. Strong leadership
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Implementation barriers include competing priorities, limited resources, political
opposition, unclear roles, and inadequate infrastructure. Clear communication, funding, and leadership
are facilitators, not barriers.
Section 2: Policy Process and Models (Questions 11–20)
Question 11
The stages model of the policy process includes all of the following EXCEPT:
A. Agenda setting
B. Implementation
C. Profit maximization
D. Evaluation
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The stages model includes agenda setting, formulation, adoption, implementation, and
evaluation. Profit maximization is not a stage in the policy process.
Question 12
Kingdon’s multiple streams model includes which three streams?
A. Problem, policy, and politics
B. Federal, state, and local
C. Access, quality, and cost
D. Input, throughput, and output
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Kingdon describes problem, policy, and politics streams. When they converge, a policy
window opens, allowing change.
Question 13
Incrementalism in policymaking suggests that:
Verified Questions & Answers | MSN Prep | Instant Download
Section 1: Health Policy Foundations (Questions 1–10)
Question 1
Health policy is best defined as:
A. A single law passed by Congress
B. A set of decisions, plans, and actions undertaken to achieve specific health care goals within a society
C. The private insurance rules used by hospitals
D. The clinical guidelines written by nurses
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Health policy encompasses the broad decisions, plans, and actions that governments,
organizations, and stakeholders make to shape health care delivery, financing, and outcomes. It is not
limited to one law or to private rules.
Question 2
Which of the following is a primary goal of health policy?
A. Increasing profits for insurance companies
B. Ensuring access, quality, and cost containment
C. Reducing the number of health care workers
D. Eliminating all government involvement in health
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Health policy typically pursues the “iron triangle” of access, quality, and cost. Other goals
may include equity, safety, and public health protection, but access, quality, and cost are central.
Question 3
Public health policy differs from health care policy because public health policy focuses more on:
A. Individual medical treatment
B. Population-level prevention and health promotion
C. Hospital reimbursement
D. Private physician fees
,Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Public health policy targets populations through prevention, health promotion,
surveillance, and environmental protections. Health care policy more often addresses personal medical
services, financing, and delivery.
Question 4
Which statement best describes the policy-making process?
A. It is linear and always moves from problem to solution in one step
B. It is cyclical and includes agenda setting, formulation, adoption, implementation, and evaluation
C. It only involves elected officials
D. It ends once a law is passed
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The policy process is often cyclical: problem identification, agenda setting, policy
formulation, adoption, implementation, evaluation, and revision. It involves many actors, not only
elected officials, and continues after passage.
Question 5
Agenda setting refers to:
A. The final vote on a bill
B. The process by which issues come to the attention of policymakers
C. The evaluation of a policy’s outcomes
D. The writing of regulations
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Agenda setting determines which issues are considered important enough for government
or organizations to address. It is influenced by media, interest groups, crises, data, and public opinion.
Question 6
Which of the following is an example of a health policy stakeholder?
A. Professional nursing organizations
B. Insurance companies
C. Patient advocacy groups
D. All of the above
Correct Answer: D
,Rationale: Stakeholders include anyone affected by or interested in a policy, such as providers,
payers, patients, employers, advocacy groups, and government agencies.
Question 7
The term “policy window” refers to:
A. A physical window in a government building
B. A brief opportunity when conditions are favorable for policy change
C. A budget line item
D. A type of insurance plan
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A policy window opens when the problem, policy, and politics streams align, creating an
opportunity for action. It may close quickly, so advocates must act strategically.
Question 8
Which of the following best describes “evidence-based policy”?
A. Policy based only on political opinion
B. Policy informed by the best available research, data, and contextual factors
C. Policy that ignores stakeholder input
D. Policy that never changes
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Evidence-based policy uses rigorous research and data, combined with contextual
knowledge and stakeholder values, to make decisions. It does not guarantee perfect outcomes but
improves decision quality.
Question 9
Which level of government primarily funds and administers Medicaid?
A. Federal only
B. State only
C. Federal and state jointly
D. Local only
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Medicaid is a joint federal-state program. The federal government sets minimum
standards and provides matching funds, while states administer eligibility, benefits, and delivery.
, Question 10
Which of the following is a common barrier to effective health policy implementation?
A. Clear communication
B. Adequate funding
C. Competing priorities and limited resources
D. Strong leadership
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Implementation barriers include competing priorities, limited resources, political
opposition, unclear roles, and inadequate infrastructure. Clear communication, funding, and leadership
are facilitators, not barriers.
Section 2: Policy Process and Models (Questions 11–20)
Question 11
The stages model of the policy process includes all of the following EXCEPT:
A. Agenda setting
B. Implementation
C. Profit maximization
D. Evaluation
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The stages model includes agenda setting, formulation, adoption, implementation, and
evaluation. Profit maximization is not a stage in the policy process.
Question 12
Kingdon’s multiple streams model includes which three streams?
A. Problem, policy, and politics
B. Federal, state, and local
C. Access, quality, and cost
D. Input, throughput, and output
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Kingdon describes problem, policy, and politics streams. When they converge, a policy
window opens, allowing change.
Question 13
Incrementalism in policymaking suggests that:
