Health Care and Health Insurance in the United States

Maxwell J Mehlman, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

Published online: July 2006

DOI: 10.1038/npg.els.0005205

The USA relies on a private health insurance system, supplemented by government programs covering discreet populations. This creates numerous distortions in access to health care and concerns about the risk of discrimination based on the results of genetic testing.

Keywords: private health insurance; genetic discrimination; Medicare; Medicaid, managed care organization

 References
    Jost TS (2001) Private or public approaches to insuring the uninsured: lessons from international experience with private insurance. New York University Law Review 76: 419–491.
    Kronick R and Gilmer T (2002) Insuring low income adults: does public coverage crowd out private? Health Affairs 21: 225–239.
    Landa AS (2002) Medicaid morass. American Medical News 45: 5. http://www.ama-assn.org/sci-pubs/amnews/pick_02/gvsa0107.htm#top.
    Suter SM (2001) The allure and peril of genetics exceptionalism: do we need special genetics legislation? Washington University Law Quarterly 79: 669–751.
    book US Congress (1996) Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. Public Law 104–191, tit. II, 110 Stat. 1936, 1991.
    book US Congress (2002a) Americans with Disabilities Act. 42 USC. Section 12, 101–12, 213.
    book US Congress (2002b) Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act. 42 USC. Section 1395 dd.
 Further Reading
    Blumenthal D (2001) Controlling healthcare expenditures. New England Journal of Medicine 344: 766–769.
    Bodenheimer T and Sullivan K (1998a) How large employers are shaping the healthcare marketplace, part I. New England Journal of Medicine 338: 1003–1007.
    Bodenheimer T and Sullivan K (1998b) How large employers are shaping the healthcare marketplace, part II. New England Journal of Medicine 338: 1084–1087.
    Iglehart JK (1992) The American healthcare system: managed care. New England Journal of Medicine 327: 742–747.
    Iglehart JK (1997) Snapshot of the safety net. Health Affairs 16: 6–253.
    Iglehart JK (1999) The American healthcare system: expenditures. New England Journal of Medicine 340: 70–76.
    Iglehart JK (1999) The American healthcare system: Medicare. New England Journal of Medicine 340: 327–332.
    Kuttner R (1999) The American healthcare system: healthcare coverage. New England Journal of Medicine 340: 163–168.
    Nudelman R and Andrews L (1996) The ‘value added’ of not-for-profit health plans. New England Journal of Medicine 334: 1057–1059.
    Rodwin MA (1995) Conflicts in managed care. New England Journal of Medicine 332: 604–607.
    book Rothstein MA (ed.) (1997) Genetic Secrets: Protecting Privacy and Confidentiality in the Genetic Era. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

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Bioethics | Health Care
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Article Title: Health Care and Health Insurance in the United States
 
How to Cite close
Mehlman, Maxwell J(Jul 2006) Health Care and Health Insurance in the United States. In: eLS. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester. http://www.els.net [doi: 10.1038/npg.els.0005205]