Praeger Publishers, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881. 208p., bibliog., index. ISBN 0-275-94411-5. $49.95. Arnold Birenbaum. 1993.
Although this book is not a specific book on AIDS, it does have an important chapter that covers "People with AIDS." Also, health care is on everyone's mind, and many people feel that people with AIDS cost the system too much and should therefore not have the adequate care that they need. The first chapter of the book says it all: "Dissatisfaction Widespread--Our Leaders Receive a Wake-Up Call." Also a quote from Harris Wofford, 1991, should make you wonder if we should try to be a criminal in order to get adequate help, "If criminals have a right to a lawyer, I think working Americans have a right to a doctor." The chapter on AIDS provides much to think about. It states that the cost of care of AIDS patients in 1992 was estimated at 7 billion dollars, and that "prevention and the search for an immunization should be high priorities in public policy." The public health response to AIDS was too late and AIDS has placed a severe strain on the health-care delivery system. "AIDS is fast becoming a disease of the poor and the disinherited of our society." As a result, services are stretched to their limits and become less and less effective. Medicaid, services for children, and education have to all work hand-in-hand, but need money to really make a dent in what needs to be done. Of these, education is by far the most critical, since so many young people are not heeding the warnings that are being given to them because families, religious groups, and homophobia have stepped in and stopped some of the excellent programs that should be ongoing. This is a well written chapter in a book that should be read from cover to cover to really understand how much trouble the health care service is in the United States, in case you did not know. This is an excellent book for all libraries from school to academic and research. (H. Robert Malinowsky)
Keywords: Health Insurance, Insurance, Medical Care Costs, Medical Economics
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