Health policy in the United States has been shaped by the political socioeconomic and ideological environment with important roles played by public and private actors as well as institutional and individual entities in designing the contemporary American healthcare system. Now in a fully updated fifth edition this book gives expanded attention to pressing issues for our policymakers including the aging American population physician shortages gene therapy specialty drugs and the opioid crisis. A new chapter has been added on the Trump administration's failed attempts at repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act and subsequent attempts at undermining it via executive orders. Authors Kant Patel and Mark Rushefsky address the key problems of healthcare cost access and quality through analyses of Medicare Medicaid the Veterans Health Administration and other programs and the ethical and cost implications of advances in healthcare technology. Each chapter concludes with discussion questions and a comprehensive reference list. This textbook will be required reading for courses on health and healthcare policy as well as all those interested in the ways in which American healthcare has evolved over time. | Healthcare Politics and Policy in America