Completely expanded and updated to account for the latest changes in the U.S. health care system, this best-selling text remains the most concise and balanced introduction to the domestic health care system. Like its predecessors, it provides an accessible overview of the basic components of the system: healthcare personnel, hospitals and other institutions, the federal government, financing and payment mechanisms, and managed care. Finally, it provides an insightful look at the prospects for health care reform. Steven Jonas, a revered expert in public health, has enlisted his colleagues, Drs. Raymond and Karen Goldsteen, to add their expertise in public health and health policy and management to this outstanding volume. All students of health care administration and policy, as well as practicing healthcare professionals who simply want a relatively brief overview of the system, will find it useful.