The Affordable Care Act and Medicare in Comparative Context [Hardcover]

This book provides a comprehensive and approachable overview of Medicare under the Affordable Care Act.This book provides a comprehensive and approachable overview of Medicare under the Affordable Care Act. The author illustrates how the ACA addresses the long-term fiscal and demographic challenges facing Medicare, as well as the potential for Medicare to become a single-payer system.This book provides a comprehensive and approachable overview of Medicare under the Affordable Care Act. The author illustrates how the ACA addresses the long-term fiscal and demographic challenges facing Medicare, as well as the potential for Medicare to become a single-payer system.Burdened with perennially rising costs and responsible for providing health insurance to more than one sixth of all Americans, Medicare in its original form is fiscally and demographically unsustainable. In light of dramatic reforms under the Affordable Care Act, this book provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of Medicare. Eleanor D. Kinney explains how the ACA addresses systemic problems of cost and volume inflation; quality assurance; and fraud. Recognizing the potential for more radical change in the future, Kinney also explores the potential of Medicare to become a single-payer system. Comparisons are made with national health systems in Canada and the United Kingdom, from which the United States can draw valuable lessons. An approachable yet comprehensive account of Medicare and the ACA, this book will be invaluable for health care professionals and informed citizens.1. Introduction; Part I. The Medicare Program: 2. The Medicare program, 3. The Medicare policy-making process and judicial review; 4. Taming the growth in Medicare expenditures; 5. Improving the quality of health care services; 6. Curbing fraud and abuse in the Medicare program; Part II. The Affordable Care Act and the Medicare Program: 7. The Affordable Care Act; 8. Improving the quality and efficiency of health care; 9. lC%