The health care sector has become a major component of the contemporary economies of Japan and the United States. It absorbs significant portions of the GDP in both countries, and places increasing stress on private, government, and corporate budgets. With so much at stake, arrangements for...

Comparative health policy: an introduction -- The context of health care -- Funding, provision, and governance -- Setting priorities and allocating resources -- The medical profession -- Beyond the hospital: health care in the home -- Public health -- Understanding health policy comparatively