Altman (Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis U.) has been involved in health care policy since the 1970s. In this book for general readers and for students and practitioners of health care policy, he traces the evolution of the country's health care system, from 1912 to Obama's controversial Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. The book is peppered with enough behind-the-scenes anecdotes on secret meetings and scandals to keep readers attentive through explanations of the political, policy, and economic issues that make health care reform so complex and so difficult to enact. Co-author Shactman worked with Altman for 11 years at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)