An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back

An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back is physician and journalist Elisabeth Rosenthal’s overview and critique of the American healthcare system. It was initially published in April 2017, arriving during a time in which healthcare reform became a prominent cornerstone of both Democratic and Republican political campaigns. The book offers a mixture of testimonials from a myriad of people impacted by the health industry, including medical professionals, scholars, and patients. Despite what Rosenthal sees as a dire prognosis, she also offers solutions for America’s patients so that they might have an easier time navigating the healthcare system. This guide corresponds with the 2018 edition published by Penguin Books.

Summary

The book is divided into two parts. Part 1, “History of the Present Illness and Review of Symptoms,” identifies the healthcare system’s various ailments through a review of its history. Part 2, “Diagnosis and Treatment: Prescriptions for Taking Back Our Healthcare,” strives to give readers insight into how they can change the industry’s status quo. The solutions she offers are broad and range from acts of political protest to simply being empowered with information about options for medical treatment. This approach garnered Rosenthal significant praise, as the book went on to become a New York Times bestseller and a Washington Post Notable Book of 2017.