Understanding Health Care Reform

Bridging the gap between myth and reality

Published: Monday, January 2, 2012 - 15:49

(Productivity Press: Boca Raton, FL) -- After nearly a year of debate, in March 2010, Congress passed and the president signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to reform the U.S. health care system. The most significant social legislation since the civil rights legislation and the creation of Medicare and Medicaid, the bill’s passage has been met with great controversy. Political pundits, politicians, health care economists, and policy analysts have filled the airwaves and the lay press with their opinions, but little has been heard from those who have the most invested in health-care delivery reform—patients and their doctors.

Understanding Health Care Reform: Bridging the Gap Between Myth and Reality by Arthur M. Feldman, M.D., (Productivity Press, 2011) provides readers with the information to make informed decisions and to help counter the bias of political pundits and the influence of the for-profit health care industry. Feldman, executive dean at the Temple University School of Medicine, introduces readers to a group of dedicated doctors, administrators, and patients whose experiences illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of the health care reform legislation. He also shares his own experiences as both a physician and a patient.

The book puts the health care reform legislation in perspective by exploring 10 critical areas:
• The private insurance industry
• Medicare and Medicaid
• The elimination of waste caused by overutilization, high administrative fees, and fraud
• Disease prevention and wellness programs
• Care for the underserved—the health care “safety net”
• Quality of care
• The impending workforce shortage
• Comparative-effectiveness research to compare treatments
• Changes in the way medicine is practiced
• Tort reform

Describing the reform act as the foundation and framing of a house, it outlines what doctors, patients, and families must focus on as states, the federal government, and the courts craft this legislation over time.

The author cuts through the political rhetoric to address the core question: How do we preserve our ability to provide the best possible care for patients and fulfill our societal mission of providing care for our citizens, independent of their financial means? Focusing on strengths and weaknesses, rather than what is right or wrong, Feldman encourages readers to think creatively about their roles in establishing a better system of health care in America.

Features
• Discusses the strengths and the weaknesses of the health-care reform legislation
• Focuses on the consumer and not on the policy analyst or the academician
• Tells the stories of real-life doctors and patients and how the health care reform legislation impacts them
• Provides succinct recommendations for improving the legislation
• Explains how doctors, patients, and families can determine the success or failure of the legislation over time

Arthur M. Feldman, M.D., Ph.D., is the executive dean at the Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

About The Author

Productivity Press

For more than 25 years, Productivity Press has developed the largest catalog available anywhere of publications and learning tools about lean methodology, continuous improvement, and operational excellence. It is currently the premier source of authoritative information on organizational transformation. Productivity Press is an imprint of CRC Press, a premier global publisher of science, technology, and medical resources. Its aim is to broaden thinking and advance understanding in the sciences, providing researchers, academics, professionals, and students with the tools they need to share ideas and realize their potential. CRC Press is a member of Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business.