DescriptionThe health care system in the United States continues to present seemingly intractable problems. By some metrics, we have an excellent system; by others, we fail and find ourselves trailing many other countries. We spend more than any other country on medical care and our health status is not the best. While there is some agreement that the issues of cost, quality, and access continue to demand fundamental change in the system, our society continues to be polarized around the ways those changes should be made. Underlying the debate seems to be a fundamental conflict in how we see the health care system. That is, do we see it as goods to be bought and sold through the market or as a public good to which all should have access? This elective will delve into these themes with presentation, group discussions, and meetings with key thought leaders. |