Review by Choice Review
Many books and articles address improvements to the US health care system and the provision of health insurance to all citizens. Although many good ideas exist, the problem is to develop an approach that can achieve a political consensus. Dranove (Northwestern Univ.) does not offer comprehensive ideas for improving the health care system or the way it is financed. His goal, building on his earlier The Economic Evolution of American Health Care (2000), is to review public sector efforts to deal with access, costs, and quality. Those familiar with the health care debate will not find much that is new in this book; it is well written, however, and does a good job of providing insights into the national debate. Dranove suggests solutions, often presenting them in the context, "on the one hand ... on the other hand." Dranove does indicate that the performance of health care markets is mixed; at times he is convinced by arguments for a single-payer system. However, he pulls back from this model, indicating that he is not ready to give up on market-based health care. In the end, having a quality system requires an efficient public-private partnership. The appendix includes acronyms and notes. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-level undergraduates through professionals/practitioners. R. L. Jones emeritus, Pennsylvania State University, College of Medicine
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
