Chapter 3 The Source of Law and Regulations 43 Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. For example, the Declaration of Independence suggests that there are Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God in which all men are created equal and “endowed by their creator with cer- tain unalienable rights.” This chapter explores the nature and roles of the various levels of government authority and their influences on healthcare. The Federal Government The United States federal government has a limited role in providing direct patient care outside the military and Indian Health Ser- vices. Nevertheless, the federal government has tremendous influence and impact on those who practice direct care throughout all of the states. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), for instance, has affected all healthcare insurance and was intended to standardize and improve access to basic healthcare services for all US citizens. The Constitution of the United States The United States’ founders’ initial draft of the Constitution intended to establish a per- manent governmental structure and address problems that arise from having distinctly separate governing systems: a national government and individual state governments. Thus, the US Constitution created a federal government of limited power. Such governments derive authority to act specifically from the Constitution. Any power not delegated to the federal government in the Constitution, is reserved to the states or the people (US Constitution, Amendment X). The Constitution does not limit the rights of the individual citizen it lim- its the authority of government. For the federal government to act in any area, it must first have Constitutional authority to do so. The Preamble of the Constitution The Constitution begins with the Preamble, which is followed by sections called articles and amendments. Though brief, the Preamble sets forth the purpose of establishing the government (Figure 3.2). government of limited power term that describes a government that can only exert authority it has been given by its constitution articles sections of the US Constitution amendments additions to the US Constitution that address topics not covered in the original Constitution Derek Hatfield/Shutterstock.com Figure 3.1 The Constitution, which was formulated as the United States was just beginning, contains laws that govern the nation and even apply to healthcare.