Introduction to the U.S. Health Care System: A Comprehensive Guide

Stay ahead of the curve with the ninth edition of this best-selling introductory text, fully updated to reflect the latest changes to health care services, delivery, and financing in the United States. Written by DrPH Goldsteen, Raymond L., MPH Goldsteen, Karen, PhD, MBA Goldsteen, and Benjamin, this practical text provides a concise and balanced survey of the U.S. health care system, exploring its current state, historical development, and future directions.

A Comprehensive Overview of the U.S. Health Care System

This accessible text defines the essential elements of the health care system, including its components, organization, services, and financing. With an emphasis on policy development, the authors examine the ongoing evolution of the system, taking into account proposed changes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and other health laws by Congress, the Trump administration, and the political landscape in general.

New to the Ninth Edition

• Updated to address changes to health care services, delivery, and financing in the United States
• An expanded section on future trends in health care
• A full description of the health care reform politics under the Obama and Trump administrations and those being promoted in political campaigns
• New chapter on medicines, devices, and health care technology
• Increased coverage of mental health and substance abuse, long-term care, and other institutionalized populations
• Digital ancillaries include access to the eBook, an annual update on U.S. health policy, and new student exercises utilizing publicly available data

Key Features

• The most concise and balanced introduction to the U.S. health care system
• Provides a framework for examining how each structure and stakeholder within the health system interacts and how changes to policy would affect them
• Numerous cartoons, graphs, and tables break up the text and serve as meaningful context with pertinent data
• Each chapter utilizes learning objectives and discussion questions to guide student reading
• Includes a full suite of Instructor ancillaries including an Instructors Manual, PowerPoints, Test Bank, and other exercises

Ideal for undergraduate courses, graduate survey courses, and courses introducing the subject to medical students, this book is essential reading for public health and health administration students as well as medical, nursing, and allied health professionals. Equip yourself with a deeper understanding of the field in which you will practice, and position yourself to navigate upcoming changes that affect health care quality, value, and access.