Reinventing American Health Care

By: Ezekiel J. Emanuel

Narrated by: William Dufris

Length: 11 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's Summary

In March 2010 the Affordable Care Act was signed into law. It was the most extensive reform of America's health-care system since at least the creation of Medicare in 1965 and maybe ever. The ACA was controversial and highly political, and the law faced legal challenges reaching all the way to the Supreme Court; it even precipitated a government shutdown.

Ezekiel J. Emanuel, a professor of medical ethics and health policy at the University of Pennsylvania who also served as a special adviser to the White House on health-care reform, has written a brilliant diagnostic explanation of why health care in America has become such a divisive social issue, how money and medicine have their own American story, and why reform has bedeviled presidents of the left and right for more than one hundred years.

Emanuel also explains exactly how the ACA reforms are reshaping the health-care system now. He forecasts the future, identifying six megatrends in health that will determine the market for health care to 2020 and beyond. His predictions are bold, provocative, and uniquely well informed. Health care has never had a more comprehensive or authoritative interpreter.

©2014 Ezekiel J. Emanuel (P)2015 Tantor

Critic Reviews

"A plain-English explanation of a tricky topic." ( Booklist)

The book lacks integrity

Would you try another book from Ezekiel J. Emanuel and/or William Dufris?

I would not read another book by Ezekiel Emanuel. William Dufris does a nice job narrating the book.

What was most disappointing about Ezekiel J. Emanuel’s story?

I expected a slightly biased review of our healthcare system being that it was authored by an Emanuel. I hoped though that I'd get a good education on the state of healthcare. Unfortunately my experience tells me otherwise. I found the book to be roughly equivalent to getting an education on a topic from a Michael Moore film. There are some interesting points, but you have to be very careful in selecting what to and not to take at face value.

Just one example of a half truth that I ran into and immediately new was wrong. In chapter 4 Emanuel describes Medtronic as having 16.2 billion dollars in sales (which is true for 2014), but then goes on to claim "Medtronics profits are very, VERY high above 60%." Chapter 4 @51:24. In 2014 Medtronic made 3.6 billion dollars on 16.2 billion dollars in sales, a not so shabby 22% profit margin, but FAR FAR from the above 60% claimed in the book. Emanuel never clarifies what profit measure he is using. Moments earlier he mentioned pfizer having roughly 14.7% and mylan having 8.7%. Both of which were "net margins" exactly the same as how I found the 22% stated above. Presumably without clarification he switches to gross margins for Medtronics to make it sound as absurdly high as possible. Unfortunately that does nothing but support my point that he's willing to use half truths to support his point of view.

This is one example of many that I found throughout the book. When you encounter a subject you know well and find misrepresentation being used as a tool, I'm left to wonder about the integrity of the rest of the book.

Would you listen to another book narrated by William Dufris?

Yes he did an excellent job Narrating the book

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment and anger. Our country needs someone to be honest about the healthcare system and educate people fairly.

14 of 19 people found this review helpful

The Best Insight on Healthcare and the ACA

As a Healthcare professional re-entering the Healthcare world now with a focus on Health Insurance, I have read months of literature but this Ebook Had the Most valuable well researched (inside) information on Healthcare reform; the goal of the ACA and How The future of our Healthcare Systems & Structure of pay and teaching of future Healthcare Providers will Tremendously Evolve. Thanks! Alisha Brown

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Best In-depth Look @ Healthcare

This is the best in-depth book I've come across regarding the current transformation of healthcare.

Excellent

Excellent and succinct review of the Affordable Care Act and USA healthcare system- past, present and the future! Very educative, and highly recommended.

the author is pro ACA

Good information and great history on Healthcare in America. The last chapters were like listening to someone beating a dead horse. The ACA is good and would have been better if the people in charge would have made these hundreds of decisions better. which takes up about a third of the book.

Informative resource.

Getting the facts on health reform is important. This book serves as an excellent resource to aid in understanding the landscape of health care delivery in the U. S. and the urgent need for reform.

3 of 8 people found this review helpful