Introduction to U.S. Health Policy

by Donald A. Barr

Provides a clear description of all key aspects of the health care system to make it easier for the reader to evaluate the potential impact of proposals for health care reform. Using case studies and simplified presentations of major issues, this book gives the reader an appreciation of the dilemma confronting policy makers, providers, and how to balance cost, quality, and access. It examines specific health care organization aspects such as the medical profession, hospitals, managed care organizations, and government health care programs. It also discusses policy changes that have had major impacts on American health care in the past decade. For health care providers, policy makers, consumers and others interested in health care in the U.S.

Genres: Medicine, Health Care, Business, Nonfiction

245 pages, Paperback

First published November 11, 2001

Reviews

[Lisa Cottingham]

Aquinas

[Valerie Ishida]

Exceedingly accessible for such complex history as we have in the US. Highly recommend.

So why do we get health insurance primarily through employers? The lolsob answer is in this book.

[Leland William]

Read this is you are interested in gaining some perspective on how the healthcare system in the United States (and Canada) functions.

This book is surprisingly accessible, don't be put off by the academic trappings or the text! Barr is an excellent guide for beginners who want a better grasp of health policy.

This one took me a while to read and while I was reading it (or I guess, not reading it) I would often dread diving back into what I perceived were its dense, graph-laden pages. These fears were unfounded. Every time I picked the book up I found something interesting to marvel at.

[Ed]

See review at http://edsteffes.wordpress.com/2012/1...

[Siran]

This is surprisingly an easy-read! Totally enjoying it for ~10min every morning!

Wondering if there's an equally great introduction book to Chinese Health Policy...hmm.

[Suzanne Yoder]

Great book if you want to get into how our healthcare system came to be. This edition adds information about the ACA's impact on all facets of care. Good academic read.