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Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Frontmatter | Transition Guide

Basics of the U.S. Health Care System provides a broad introduction to the workings of the healthcare industry. Engaging and activities-oriented, the text offers an accessible overview of the major concepts of healthcare operations, the role of government and public health; inpatient, outpatient, and long-term care services; payors and financing; careers; and legal and ethical issues.

Updated with new data throughout, the Fifth Edition also includes coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the global impact of the pandemic and global vaccination rates; the impact of socioeconomic factors on COVID outcomes; the disease’s impact on mental health; the U.S. government role in managing the pandemic, and more.

Thoroughly revised, the Fifth Edition offers:

• Updated data, including new Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) at-a-Glance 2021 data.
• Expanded discussion on social justice and the social determinants of health. 
• New laws and legislation passed during the Trump and Biden administrations, including the healthcare provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022, and discussion of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
• The expanded careers chapter offers eight new healthcare career opportunities.
• The final chapter takes a comparative look at the German health care system vs. the U.S. system. It offers a new section on digital health with an expanded discussion of cultural awareness to cultural proficiency.