Emilio Corsetti III: American Sickness by Elisabeth Rosenthal is an exhaustive, detailed look at the American healthcare system. The author examines every facet of healthcare, going back to the beginning in order to understand how we have gotten to where we are.
If there is one overriding theme that one could point to as the cause of skyrocketing healthcare costs, it is greed. Our healthcare system has morphed from a patient-centric system to one where profits come before patient care.
The first half of the book is a history lesson. What were things like before there was health insurance? When did things change from a need to protect people to one where maximizing profits became the primary goal? Along the way, the author uses real-world examples culled from actual patient bills to illustrate just how out-of-control things have become.
The second half of the book looks at what needs to happen in order to gain control of costs. The author offers a wide array of solutions. The first step is to be more proactive with your own healthcare. Ask questions. Challenge unethical practices. One example the author gives is a patient who is visited by an anesthesiologist. The anesthesiologist...
United States on Jan 25, 2019
Bob: Insightful details. Problems in the healthcare system have been oulined very well
India on Feb 07, 2018
Valerie Johnston: An excellent overview of a health system that, like the Curate's egg, is good in parts, and shocking bad in others. Written in non-technical language, the text shows in great detail how the US health care system was 'captured' by vested interests to the detriment of middle and working class Americans. It also examines the limitations of 'Obamacare', showing how the Republican majority in Congress weakened and diluted Obama's health care reforms.
The final part of the text is a handbook an how the consumers of health care can agitate and lobby for a fairer health care system, one that does not threaten families with bankruptcy from health bills. A good read.
United Kingdom on Feb 07, 2018
saurabh: Rosenthal has diagnosed the problem very well but the solutions being offered are too simplistic and put everything on customers/ patients only. Imagine a person in distress having to take up a flawed system alone. This cannot lead to the systemic overhaul which is the need of the hour.
India on Jan 13, 2018
Om-sweet-om: A must read for anyone dealing with the healthcare industry in the US. And it's also a good read for Canadians who just can't figure out how it all got so screwed up down there. I'm half way through and every page reveals a wtf moment. The writing is excellent and fast moving.
Canada on Aug 09, 2017
Dr Mike Warner: Dr. Elizabeth Rosenthal is well poised to appraise our current healthcare system and offer advice for individuals and policy makers. The author is a Harvard trained physician who practiced emergency medicine, was a New York Times reporter, and in September 2016, became the Editor in Chief for Kaiser Health News.
"An American Sickness - How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back" tells how we got where we are. Dr. Rosenthal exposes physicians, hospitals, health insurers, pharmaceutical companies and even the government, for roles in getting us where we are now. The United States spends more for healthcare than any other country in the world, yet medical bills threaten financial ruin for many Americans.
Dr. Rosenthal uses stories to carry her narrative. Patient stories will help the reader understand the implication of current health policy. It will help you understand your medical bills and arm you with tactics to advocate for yourself.
This book is not superficial. Dr. Rosenthal crafts her approach citing laws and regulations that shaped our current healthcare system. Her explanation of “Observation” status rather than being...
United States on Jun 20, 2017
| An American Sickness: Exploring the Impact of Big Business on Healthcare | Being Mortal: Understanding the Impact of Medical Care on End-of-Life Decisions | Corona Virus: Separating Fact from Fiction - An Examination of the Facts and Figures | |
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| Sale off | $1 OFF | $8 OFF | $6 OFF |
| Total Reviews | 1 reviews | 302 reviews | 364 reviews |
| ISBN-10 | 9781594206757 | 1645020576 | |
| ASIN | 1594206759 | ||
| Health Policy (Books) | Health Policy | Health Policy | |
| Language | English | English | |
| Hardcover | 416 pages | ||
| Publisher | Penguin Press; 1st edition | Chelsea Green Publishing; 1st edition | |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1594206757 | 978-1645020578 | |
| Item Weight | 1.5 pounds | 6.2 ounces | |
| Government Social Policy | Government Social Policy | ||
| Customer Reviews | 4.6/5 stars of 1,635 ratings | 4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 45,672 ratings var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when.execute { if { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative { if { ue.count || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when.execute { A.declarative{ if { ue.count || 0) + 1); } }); }); | 4.7/5 stars of 2,665 ratings |
| Dimensions | 6.38 x 1.31 x 9.56 inches | 5 x 0.4 x 7.75 inches | |
| Best Sellers Rank | #53 in Health Insurance #142 in Health Policy #199 in Government Social Policy | #4 in Hospice Care #7 in Health Policy #21 in Sociology of Death | #116 in Virology#237 in Viral Diseases #323 in Communicable Diseases |
| Health Insurance (Books) | Health Insurance |
Strong recommendations!! Great book!
Canada on Jan 31, 2019