Health Care Reform and American Politics: What Everyone Needs to Know

What Everyone Needs to Know

by Lawrence R. Jacobs, Theda Skocpol

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed by President Obama in March 2010 is a landmark in U.S. social legislation. The new law extends health insurance to nearly all Americans, fulfilling a century-long quest and bringing the United States to parity with other industrial
nations. Affordable Care aims to control rapidly rising health care costs and promises to make the United States more equal, reversing four decades of rising disparities between the very rich and everyone else. Millions of people of modest means will gain new benefits and protections from insurance
company abuses - and the tab will be paid by privileged corporations and the very rich.

How did such a bold reform effort pass in a polity wracked by partisan divisions and intense lobbying by special interests? What does Affordable Care mean - and what comes next? In Health Care Reform and American What Everyone Needs to Know , Lawrence R. Jacobs and Theda Skocpol--two of
the nation's leading experts on politics and health care policy--provide a concise and accessible overview. They explain the political battles of 2009 and 2010, highlighting White House strategies, the deals Democrats cut with interest groups, and the impact of agitation by Tea Partiers and
progressives. Jacobs and Skocpol spell out what the new law can do for everyday Americans, what it will cost, and who will pay. Above all, they explain what comes next, as critical yet often behind-the-scenes battles rage over implementing reform nationally and in the fifty states. Affordable Care
might end up being weakened. But, like Social Security and Medicare, it could also gain strength and popularity as the majority of Americans learn what it can do for them.

Genres: Politics, Health Care, Health, History, Read For School, Public Policy

232 pages, Paperback

First published September 22, 2010

Reviews

[Dan]

This books is divided into three parts. The first part discusses how the Affordable Health Care law was made into law. It confirmed my belief that President Obama has been a masterful politician in using the system to accomplish what he feels is right. Rather than being aloof and above the system, he was in there using it. He will go down in history along with LBJ for what he accomplished in health care reform.

The second part of the book describes what the law comprises. I found the law to be even better than I thought. Unfortunately the content of the law has not been brought to the American public. The opponents have been distributing untruths and half truths about it. Proponents seem to have stepped back from it because they now need to be seen as focusing on jobs and the economy.

The third part of the book discusses what remains ahead before all aspects of the law take effect in 2014. It discusses legal challenges the law is likely to face. This section gave me a new appreciation for the craft with which the law was constructed to make legal challenges as difficult as possible.

[Zoe]

This book helped me get a firmer grasp on the details of the ACA- why now, how it was passed, how it relates to partisan politics, who benefits from reform, how we pay for it, and further difficulties in implementing reform. I recommend this book to all Americans, but especially those involved in healthcare. As a student nurse, this book helped me understand the changes taking place in my field.

[Kelly]

I did not know too much about how the ACA was passed, so this book gave a good overview of that. However, I think the authors were biased and did not do a good job of hiding that and presenting a "Just the facts" account.

[N]

Excellent overview of the story of the Affordable Care Act, but written with a pervasive liberal slant that, at times, makes this work hard to consider a true work of political science. Also, after mentioning the failure of the public option provision, the authors give no attention in the final chapter—i.e. on the future of health reform—to the long-standing debates about true universal coverage. Instead, the focus is on GOP repeal efforts.

[Mills College Library]

362.10973 J173 2016

[Laura]

Second chapter is a very well organized and clear presentation of the stakeholders involved while the legislation was being crafted, how they were involved, and what concessions were made to secure their support. Would work very well in an undergrad course to introduce them to the organizational and institutional actors and social movements involved in health care reform.

[Matthew Laing]

Very solid and fairly non-biased appraisal of the 2010 healthcare reform legislation, as well as a run down of the politics and process that produced it, and what challenges remain as it transitions from the legislative the to the administration phase.

[Lorette]

I thought this was a fantastic rendering of just what happened with the Affordable Care Act. I mean, I was there and I still didn't know. Health Care Policy can be difficult but this book really made it accessible. And to be clear, Health Care Policy affects us all.

[Janneke Klerk]

I liked this book. It made me understand the process behind the healthcare reform. I almost never rate non fiction books higher. Except for biographies.

[Lisa]

I recommend this book if your looking for a great narration of the good & not so good actions of government in Washington. This is a no-spin book.

[Phil]

Good overview of the origins and passage of Obamacare.

[Elise]

Good, very simple and basic overview. Easy read by excellent health policy scholars.

[Laura]

Outlines the affordable care act in exceptional way.