Understanding Health Policy (Lange) (Paperback)

by Thomas S. Bodenheimer (Author), Kevin Grumbach (Author) "When we wrote the introduction to the first edition of Understanding Health Policy: A Clinical Approach in the early 1990s, we characterized the health care..." (more)
Key Phrases: United States, Health Affairs, Blue Cross (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

"This highly readable text gives a broad but detailed picture of how health care is organized and dispensed in the United States." -Annals of Internal Medicine, on the First Edition

The #1 text on health policy, this well-known book provides a short introduction to U.S. health care policy by two leading experts who are themselves practicing physicians. The Fourth Edition features the latest information on cost containment, health insurance, managed care, hospital payment, and the new two-tier model of physician reimbursement.

From the Back Cover

"This highly readable text gives a broad but detailed picture of how health care is organized and dispensed in the United States. It considers the problems of, and possible solutions for, cost control, long-term care, quality control, ethical issues, and insurance programs. Clinicians are likely to find the text attractive because of its supportive flowcharts and its frequent use of specific, concrete examples."
Annals of Internal Medicine *
"Well documented and highly readable."
National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Facilities Newsletter *

"One of the more interesting, readable texts in health policy to appear in recent years."
American Journal of Health System Pharmacy *

"The title doesn't do the book justice. It's not only about health care policy and its implications, it's about the health care system, applied to highly clinically relevant situations . . . it provides an unobstructed view of the complicated health care system."
Advance/PA*

"Goes a long way toward helping readers understand how the health care system worked in the past, how it is changing, and how it might work under different scenarios in the future."
Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law *

The leading text in the field, Understanding Health Policy covers fundamental topics such as cost containment, health insurance, managed care, and physician and hospital payment. The authors bring to life important policy issues by providing extensive case histories that pinpoint individual encounters within the health care system.

Features:
* Updated throughout to reflect recent changes in insurance coverage, health care expenditures, and health care organization
* Expanded to include discussion of the defined contribution approach to cost control, medical errors, and new approaches to quality improvement and the uncertain future facing managed care
* Extensive case histories
* Brand new chapter on the Health Care Work Force, including sections on physicians, registered nurses, advanced practice nurses, and pharmacists and on women and minorities in the health professions
* Includes "Questions and Discussion Topics" for classroom or individual study

*Of earlier edition

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 388 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Medical; 4 edition (December 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071423117
• ISBN-13: 978-0071423113
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #234,982 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Difficult to find a better overview for students, November 13, 2001

By	Joan Bantz (The Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Understanding Health Policy: A Clinical Approach (Paperback)

I used this book in undergraduate health policy programs and in one health care administration graduate elective. The majority of students found it to be a useful introduction to the difficult area of health policy. By incorporating pertinent examples and graphs students found the text more understandable and useful than say other required readings like Paul Starr's classic. Whatever their level of understanding coming into class, students were able to glean valuable information and insight.

My reservation is similar to many books, e.g., by the time of publication much has changed. However, there is relevant material and with supplements this will remain a valuable resource.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Understanding Health Policy, January 9, 2007

By	Helen Bai (CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is a great basic review of how health care is delivered. The format and information is most useful for people who are going into medicine. There isn't really anything about the politics behind health care policy; instead the book focuses on defining key terms and outlining the structure of relationships between payers, receivers, and providers. The book also covers the differences between different types of insurance policies, as well as different national health plans of countries with more socialized medicine.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Know Knowledge For MD's To Be, July 14, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Understanding Health Policy (Paperback)

This book was a requirment for my medical school curriculum. Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down. I've never read any other books on health policy, so I don't have anything to compare it to, but I thought it was an excellent books. It is very well written, very easy to understand and extremely informative. I believe anyone interested in health care, medicine, etc. should obtain the knowledge in this book and what better source than "Understanding Health Policy".