The Fourth Edition of Changing the U.S. Health Care System addresses the key topics in health care policy and management, presenting evidence-based views of current issues. Each chapter is written by an expert in the field who integrates evidence to explain the current condition and presents support for needed change. The book examines all the levers in the setting and implementation of health policy, and includes extensive coverage of impact of the Affordable Care Act, particularly on Medicare, Medicaid, and large and small group insurance markets. Also new to this edition is expanded coverage of nursing, disease management, mental health, women's health, children's health, and care for the homeless.

The Fourth Edition of Changing the U.S. Health Care System addresses the key topics in health care policy and management, presenting evidence-based views of current issues. Each chapter is written by an expert in the field who integrates evidence to explain the current condition and presents support for needed change. The book examines all the levers in the setting and implementation of health policy, and includes extensive coverage of impact of the Affordable Care Act, particularly on Medicare, Medicaid, and large and small group insurance markets. Also new to this edition is expanded coverage of nursing, disease management, mental health, women's health, children's health, and care for the homeless.

Figures and Tables xvForeword to the Third Edition xixForeword to the Fourth Edition xxiThe Editor xxvThe Authors xxviiIntroduction and Overview xliiiAcknowledgments lviiPart One: Access to Health Care 11 The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 3Gerald F. Kominski2 Improving Access to Care 33Ronald M. Andersen, Pamela L. Davidson, Sebastian E. Baumeister3 Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Status 71Antronette K. Yancey, Roshan Bastani, Beth A. Glenn4 Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care 103Arturo Vargas Bustamante, Leo S. Morales, Alexander N. Ortega5 Multilevel Social Determinants of Health 135Ninez A. Ponce, Michelle Ko6 Public Health Insurance 157Shana Alex Lavarreda, E. Richard Brown7 Private Health Insurance 191Nadereh Pourat, Gerald F. KominskiPart Two: Cost of Health Care 2238 Measuring Health Care Expenditures and Trends 225Thomas H. Rice9 Containing Health Care Costs 245Thomas H. Rice, Gerald F. Kominski10 Promoting Pharmaceutical Access While Controlling Prices and Expenditures 269Stuart O. Schweitzer, William S. ComanorPart Three: Quality of Health Care 30511 Measuring Health-Related Quality of Life and Other Outcomes 307Patricia A. Ganz, Ron D. Hays, Robert M. Kaplan, Mark S. Litwin12 Evaluating the Quality of Care 343Elizabeth A. McGlynn13 Public Release of Information on Quality 381Elizabeth A. McGlynn, John L. Adams14 Health Care Information Systems 413Jeff Luck, Leah J. Vriesman, Paul Fu Jr.15 Performance Measurement of Nursing Care 455Jack Needleman, Ellen T. Kurtzman, Kenneth W. KizerPart Four: Special Populations 49316 Long-Term Services and Supports for the Elderly Population 495Steven P. Wallace, Nadereh Pourat, Linda Delp, Kathryn G. Kietzman17 HIV and AIDS in the Twenty-First Century 523Erin G. Grinshteyn, William E. Cunningham18 Children's Health 559Moira Inkelas, Neal Halfon, David Lee Wood19 Homeless Persons 593Lisa Arangua, Lillian GelbergPart Five: Directions For Change 62120 Changing the Health Care Delivery System 623Nadereh Pourat, Hector P. Rodriguez21 Medicare Reform 651Gerald F. Kominski, Jeanne T. Black, Thomas H. Rice22 Public Health and Clinical Care 681Jonathan E. Fielding, Lester Breslow, Steven M. Teutsch23 Strengthening the Safety Net 703Dylan H. Roby24 Ethical Issues in Public Health and Health Services 727Pauline Vaillancourt Rosenau, Ruth Roemer, Frederick J. ZimmermanIndex 753