Unraveling U.S. Health Care: A Personal Guide

Guaranteed access to basic health care continues to fuel debate across the United States. As politicians and insurance providers struggle for a workable solution, the American population continues to be divided between the insured and uninsured–the “haves” and the “have-nots.” Despite this distinction, however, all would benefit from knowing exactly what health-care options are available. Winter, an independent consultant, has successfully crafted a guide that is entirely consumer focused. Whereas Nortin M. Hadler’s Citizen Patient: Reforming Health Care for the Sake of the Patient, Not the System is an authority for health-care providers and policymakers, Winter’s work is written in a style that is understandable to the general public. It aims to educate consumers of American health care, providing relevant information and offering sound solutions, thereby reducing costs in the long run. Statistics and facts serve to debunk health-care myths; plentiful citations represent current data. The result is a well-documented road map addressing issues that range from consumers who lack health insurance to those engaging in medical tourism. Lists of suggested care units by state are consistent with the book’s consumer focus. VERDICT Highly recommended for anyone who seeks quality health care and for those who are serious about improving the current system.

Roberta Winter has done a considerable public service for anyone seeking health care in America. Her book, Unraveling U.S. Health Care, provides a comprehensive, readable and extremely practical guide to all aspects of the quality and cost of health care across the country. Winter’s research is methodical, her writing is a delight to read, and the book fills a major gap for health care users in the U.S.

Unraveling U.S. Health Care affords the reader a wealth of timely and useful information with pertinent facts to back up the positions taken by the author. Roberta Winter’s contribution to the health care literature is noteworthy and will serve Americans well in facilitating a better understanding of the limitations of our system of health care as well as the opportunities we as individuals have to make it work for us.

Unraveling U.S. Health Care is a valuable asset to any interested party trying to navigate our complex health care system. Roberta Winter’s thorough research and contemporary data contribute greatly to understanding the many complexities of health care delivery in the U.S. and no doubt provides a unique resource for those who are looking for answers. I was pleasantly surprised to find Winter’s tone to be relatively neutral (a rarity in this ideologically driven debate) and her writing style easy to follow and entertaining.