✨HEALTH CARE & THE CONSTITUTION✨
#MPHMonday is here again - let’s dive right into it!
The 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution defines the division of authority between the federal government and state governments: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.” There are two “reserved powers” important for health care: police powers and the parens patriae power. The latter allows states to protect the interests of minors and incompetent persons, while the former permits states to protect the health and safety of communities. One small caveat: the federal government can supersede a state’s police powers by applying the Supremacy Clause.
The police powers granted by the 10th Amendment have enabled states to advance and support public health in a diverse array of areas, including:
🔹injury and disease prevention
🔹sanitation and waste management
🔹clean water and air
🔹vaccination
🔹isolation and quarantine
🔹fluoridation of municipal water
🔹health insurance benefits
🔹the licensure of healthcare professionals
Did you know the Constitution was this intertwined with health care?! #medschool #medstudent #MPH #masterofpublichealth #meded #medicaleducation #healthpolicy #publichealth #constitution #healthlaw #medicallegalpartnership #premed #residency #resident #futuredoctor #futuremd
