The Economics of US Health Reform A Global Perspective

The health care field is currently experiencing a great deal of change, including advances in medical technology, the development of new health care financing mechanisms, and the transformation of organizational arrangements.

This text studies the health care system in the US, and selected other countries, through the lens of economics and policy. It presents numerous real-world examples and biographies of key figures in order to help students to grasp the importance and relevance of health reform and health policy issues. The book conveys the essence of current reform issues in the US, and places them in a global comparative context.

This accessible book will be key reading for advanced undergraduates in public health and students in health-related graduate courses, including those that come to the subject without much prior knowledge of health economics or other policy methods.

Preface, Acknowledgements. Part I: What Is Health Care? Chapter 1: Overview of US Health Care System Issues System Issues, Health Care, Health Status, Summary. Chapter 2: Comparing Health Care Systems Types of Systems, The Main Operating Models, Financing Methods Across Countries, Summary of Various Health Care Systems, Performance of the US Health Care System, Medical Technology in Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, The Case of Singapore, Consumer Satisfaction with the Health Care System in Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, Summary. Part II: The Economics Driving Reform Efforts. Chapter 3: Equity in Health Care Why Equity Is Important, Equity Defined, Evaluating Efficiency Versus Equity, Equity and Healthcare, Equity Issues in the US, Equity in Health Care Delivery in Europe and the US, Equity in Health Care in Low- to Middle-Income Countries, System Change Needed in Access and Equity, Summary. Chapter 4: Efficiency in Health Care Efficiency Defined, Where the Money Goes in the US Health Care Economy, Measures of System Efficiency, Comparisons of Efficiency Across Countries, Summary. Part III: Reform in Action. Chapter 5: International Health System Reforms: OECD Countries The Issues in the Health Economies, Examples of Health Care Systems, Recent Developments, Types of Reforms, The Future of Reform, Health System Performance Under Current Reforms, Summary. Chapter 6: International Health System Reforms: Developing Countries The Issues in the Health Economies, Recent Developments, The Evolution of the World Health Organization in Global Health Reform, The WHO’s Impact on Public Health, Challenges Faced by the WHO, The Future of the WHO, The Future of Reform, Summary. Part IV: The US and Beyond. Chapter 7: US National Health Care Reforms: Before the Affordable Care Act The Reasons for Reform, The Goals of Reform, Who is Affected? What is Affected? Who Finances the System? United States Reform Alternatives, Summary. Chapter 8: National Health Care Reform: The Affordable Care Act Overview of the Affordable Care Act, Methods to Achieve the ACA Goals, Affordable Care Act Titles, Benefits Seen from the ACA Since 2010, Critique of the ACA, Possible Solutions for ACA, Repeal and Replace ACA? Reform Proposals Post ACA, New Paths, Summary. Chapter 9: The Future of Health Reform Nationally and Internationally System Issues in the US, The Future of the US Health Care System, The Role of Universal Financing, Summary. Index.

Diane M. Dewar is the former Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the School of Public Health and an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy, Management and Behavior, School of Public Health, and the Department of Economics at the University at Albany, State University of New York, USA. She is also the Director of the University Institute for Health System Evaluation.