Annotated Bibliography

This work provides an understanding of the American healthcare system and how it works.  It discusses the access of healthcare, public policies that have attempted to extend health care coverage, the costs of health care, the quality of available healthcare, the effects of healthcare and healthcare policies and practices on various groups, and ideas for the future and improvement of healthcare [SK2] services in America.  The work presents its information in an analytical manner and its future predictions and recommendations are based on their collected facts rather than personal opinion or bias.  This work is extremely relevant to my research as it provides a good look into the functioning and issues of the American healthcare system.  Its section on the obstacles to achieving universal healthcare in the United States is especially relevant as the subject of my paper is that the government should provided healthcare to its citizens.

Bovens, M. A. P., Paul T'Hart, and B. Guy Peters. Success and Failure in Public Governance a Comparative Analysis. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, 2001.EBSCOhost. Web. 23 September 2015.

This work is a collection of case studies that analyzes various attempts by the governments of Western Europe to enact policy regarding various areas of their economies.  The work addresses policy primarily in the steel making, healthcare, and banking economic sectors and provides instances of both success and failure in these areas.  It also provides comparisons within each sector between each nation that was examined and draws conclusions between those that were successful and those whose policies resulted in failure, as well as examining how the type of governance affected the outcome of its policies.  This work is relevant to my research because being able to provide a real world instance of a government successfully providing healthcare to its citizens is essential to creating an argument that governments should provide healthcare.  The ability to show that American allies in western Europe have done this successfully and who have a quality of life similar to that of the U.S. would especially help to make my argument stronger.

Corrigan, Janet, Jill Eden, and Barbara M. Smith. Leadership by Example Coordinating Government Roles in Improving Health Care Quality. Washington, D.C.: National Academies, 2003. EBSCOhost.  Web. 22 September 2015.

This work examines the six major health programs operated by the federal government that serves nearly one third of the population.  It discusses how the performance of these various programs is measured.  In addition, it discusses the role of government in improvement of the healthcare system.  Overall, it provides a good look at current efforts by the government to provide healthcare to its citizens.  It is this look at current efforts of the government to provide healthcare that makes this work extremely relevant to my research and the topic of my paper.

Dranove, David. The Economic Evolution of American Health Care: From Marcus Welby to Managed Care. Princeton: Princeton UP, 2000. EBSCOhost.Web. 24 September 2015.

This work examines the origins of the modern healthcare system from the 1960’s to the present day, as well as examining the economic forces that act on and are caused by the modern, private-enterprise healthcare system.  It discusses the change from community run, non-profit hospitals to modern, large-scale healthcare networks motivated by profit.  It proceeds to cover the government’s need for intervention due to things such as rising costs and changing practices in order to protect the interest of patients.  During its discussion of the modern health economy, it discusses how healthcare functions as a business, changes in the industry and the healthcare system, the quality of the services provided to patients, and the possible future of the industry.  This work is quite relevant to my research because addressing how the system currently works, as well as the issues and shortcomings with healthcare as a private enterprise system, is essential in arguing for a fundament change in how the system operates.

Feldstein, Paul J. Health Policy Issues: An Economic Perspective. 3rd ed. Chicago: Health Administration, 2003. EBSCOhost. Web. 18 September 2015.

The idea that money has been a major force of change in the healthcare system of the United States is the subject of discussion for this work.  It examines the healthcare system in an economic sense by examining the rise in the costs of healthcare and the efficiency of the American healthcare system based on the amount of money that goes in compared to the health levels of the national population.  It also examines other issues associated with issues such whose interest the physician acts, malpractice, Medicare and Medicaid, cost shifting, changing practices, and the possible of effects of price controls.    The work also examines the Canadian healthcare system as a possible model for the U.S. to follow in terms of how to institute a national health insurance program, often referred to as universal healthcare.  This work is relevant to my research because one of the largest concerns of those who oppose implementing a national health insurance program is the cost associated with it and who will pay for it.  Also relevant is the various approaches to instituting a national health insurance program and the politics associated with them and healthcare reform that are discussed near the end of the work.

Kotlikoff, Laurence J. The Healthcare Fix Universal Insurance for All Americans. Cambridge: MIT, 2007. ProQuest. Web. 25 September 2015.

This work revolves around the idea that the American healthcare system is a broken and is in need of change if it is going to be a working system that is accessible to all Americans.  It discusses how the current system has left many people unable to afford many necessary health services.  It examines the failed practices and mistakes the government has made in its current attempts to extend healthcare coverage under Medicare and Medicaid and the consequences that such failures could have.  Overall, it discusses how the current healthcare system is putting major burdens on the government, major corporations, and individual Americans, as well as discussing the inefficiencies of the current system.  It is through these analyses that possible solutions are offered to prevent the damage that could result from this poorly designed and executed system.  This work is extremely relevant to my research because its examination of the various problems in the healthcare system builds a strong case for change which is essential in supporting my argument that the government should provide healthcare to its citizens.

Grading Criteria

1. The document is formatted in MLA. (5 Points)=5

2. All bibliographic citations are formatted in MLA and are academic and scholarly sources mainly from our college databases. Researcher's bib contains a minimum of five sources.  (30 Points)=28

3. Annotation contains a detailed abstract of each source. (30 Points)=24

4. Entry contains a short reflection about the significance of the article and its relevance for your research project. (20 Points)=20

5. Abstract and reflection demonstrates proper grammar and punctuation. (15 Points)=15

Points=98 A+