Background and history -- Problems, controversies, and solutions -- Perspectives -- Profiles -- Data and documents -- Resources for further research -- Chronology

"A graphic explanation of the PPACA act"--Provided by publisher.

In no other country has health care served as such a volatile flashpoint of ideological conflict. America has endured a century of rancorous debate on health insurance, and despite the passage of legislation in 2010, the battle is not yet over. This book is a history of how and why the United States became so stubbornly different in health care, presented by an expert with unsurpassed knowledge of the issues. Tracing health-care reform from its beginnings to its current uncertain prospects, Paul Starr argues that the United States ensnared itself in a trap through policies that satisfied enough of the public and so enriched the health-care industry as to make the system difficult to change. He reveals the inside story of the rise and fall of the Clinton health plan in the early 1990sùand of the Gingrich counterrevolution that followed. And he explains the curious tale of how Mitt RomneyÆs reforms in Massachusetts became a model for Democrats and then follows both the passage of those reforms under Obama and the explosive reaction they elicited from conservatives. Writing concisely and with an even hand, the author offers exactly what is needed as the debate continuesùa penetrating account of how health care became such treacherous terrain in American politics.

This valuable handbook makes the U.S. health care system understandable, reviews the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or "Obamacare," describes past health care reform efforts, and covers the important organizations and people involved in U.S. health care reform. Why does the United States produce poorer outcomes for Americans in terms of health care than most other developed countries that spend a lower percentage of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on health care? Should health insurance be private or should it be managed by the government? The second edition of Healthcare Reform in America: A Reference Handbook addresses these complex and difficult questions and many more in its thorough treatment of one of the most controversial issues in contemporary American discourse. The work provides a broad introduction to the history and key issues in the development and reform of the U.S. health care system. It then addresses the recent passage of the Affordable Care Act and the myriad of significant expected changes due to the Act, thereby providing readers with information essential to understanding the current issues regarding health care reform. This work serves as a valuable resource to high school and college students as well as to general readers wanting to learn about the history and current focus of health care reform in the United States.

A New York Times Bestseller, with an updated explanation of the 2010 Health Reform Bill "Important and powerful . . . a rich tour of health care around the world." —Nicholas Kristof, The New York Times Bringing to bear his talent for explaining complex issues in a clear, engaging way, New York Times bestselling author T. R. Reid visits industrialized democracies around the world--France, Britain, Germany, Japan, and beyond--to provide a revelatory tour of successful, affordable universal health care systems. Now updated with new statistics and a plain-English explanation of the 2010 health care reform bill, The Healing of America is required reading for all those hoping to understand the state of health care in our country, and around the world. T. R. Reid's latest book, A Fine Mess: A Global Quest for a Simpler, Fairer, and More Efficient Tax System, is also available from Penguin Press.

Why does the United States produce poorer outcomes for Americans in terms of health care than most other developed countries that spend a lower percentage of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on health care? Should health insurance be private or should it be managed by the government? The second edition of Healthcare Reform in America: A Reference Handbook addresses these complex and difficult questions and many more in its thorough treatment of one of the most controversial issues in contemporary American discourse. The work provides a broad introduction to the history and key issues in the development and reform of the U.S. health care system. It then addresses the recent passage of the Affordable Care Act and the myriad of significant expected changes due to the Act, thereby providing readers with information essential to understanding the current issues regarding health care reform. This work serves as a valuable resource to high school and college students as well as to general readers wanting to learn about the history and current focus of health care reform in the United States.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) was designed to increase health insurance quality and affordability, lower the uninsured rate by expanding insurance coverage, and reduce the costs of healthcare overall. Along with sweeping change came sweeping criticisms and issues. This book explores the pros and cons of the Affordable Care Act, and explains who benefits from the ACA. Readers will learn how the economy is affected by the ACA, and the impact of the ACA rollout.