The aim of this course is to provide students with an overview of the U.S. health care system, its components, and the policy challenges being discussed. We will give special attention to the status of health reform and the role of the state and federal levels and to the budgetary implications of health care spending more broadly. We will focus on the major health policy institutions and important issues that cut across institutions, including private insurers and the federal/state financing programs (Medicare and Medicaid/SCHIP). Attention also will be given to disparities in access to care, the role of pharmaceuticals in health care and the pricing and regulation of the pharmaceutical industry, the quality of care, and the drivers of cost growth. The course will draw on lectures by the faculty and national expert “guests”, on assigned readings, and on in-class discussions. Students are expected to actively participate in the discussion. Literature from economics, political science, medical sociology, and ethics will be referenced throughout the course; however, no disciplinary background is assumed, nor is any special familiarity with the field of health care required.