TOWARD IMPLEMENTATION OF AN URBAN HEALTH AGENDA - THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT

Government has several essential roles in the implementation of an urb an health agenda. Government acts as a direct agent in the financing a nd delivery of services, as a rule maker for the financing and provisi on of care by others, and as a forum fur political debate. Discussions of access to care, control of health care costs, and the maintenance of quality all include a role for government. A period of apparent rej ection of comprehensive governmental health care policy has neverthele ss included numerous examples of the persistence of government's many roles.