Essentials of Health Policy and Law provides students of public health with a firm foundation of the basics of American health policy and law. Given the prominent role played by policy and law in the health of all Americans, the aim of this book is to help readers understand the broad context of health policy and law, the essential policy and legal issues impacting and flowing out of the health care and public health systems, and the way health policies and laws are formulated. Think of this textbook as an extended manual -- introductory, concise, and straightforward -- to the seminal issues in U.S. health policy and law, and thus as a jumping off point for discussion, reflection, research, and analysis. Check out the companion text, Essential Readings in Health Policy and Law. This compilation of carefully selected readings is meant to allow for deeper analysis of issues covered in Essentials of Health Policy and Law. New to the Second Edition: * A new chapter examines the health care reform law passed in March 2010 * Introductory material now frames health policy and law in the context of the liberal arts and the educated citizen and public health movement; * Integrates with the Essential Readings in Health Policy and the Law companion text with explicit references to those readings as well as new discussion questions and sidebars in each chapter that capture readings. * Expanded overview of the U.S. health care system, * New content concerning comparative health systems; * New content concerning public health preparedness policy and law; * New content concerning agency rulemaking and its importance to health policy and law; * Revised content to reflect recent changes to Medicaid, CHIP, Medicare, and state health policy; * Updated Figures, Tables, and Discussion Questions