Medicare and Medicaid: A Reference Handbook provides an in-depth discussion of these two large government health insurance programs. It additionally addresses such related issues as health care, government spending, and socialized medicine.

Many Americans hold conflicting views on how to pay for health care. They fear that government involvement will either undermine the quality of care or cost taxpayers too much. However, over the past half-century, hundreds of millions of Americans have come to rely on government health insurance because they are elderly, low-income, or both.

Medicare and Medicaid: A Reference Handbook provides high school and college readers with a one-stop resource on these two government insurance programs. A background and history of the topic are followed by a chapter on problems, controversies, and solutions. Perspectives and profiles speak to current program strengths, political concerns, and problems. There is a strong focus on current program challenges and opportunities.

Moreover, most of the government documents referenced in a dedicated resources chapter are produced periodically, with updates accessible online, so the book should enjoy an enduring shelf-life. The volume closes with a glossary and bibliography.

Provides readers with a concise history of how Medicare and Medicaid have developed since their creation in 1965

Explains many of the most important current controversies in nonspecialist language

Through its inclusion of perspective essays from diverse viewpoints-those of providers, scholars, beneficiaries, and advocates-helps readers to appreciate how multidimensional Medicare and Medicaid are for nearly one-half of all Americans

Offers enough detail for readers to clearly understand the evolution of these programs while also being readily accessible