Americans are accustomed to anecdotal evidence of the health care crisis. Yet, personal or local stories do not provide a comprehensive nationwide picture of our access to health care. Now, this book offers the long-awaited health equivalent of national economic indicators. This useful volume defines a set of national objectives and identifies indicatorsâ€"measures of utilization and outcomeâ€"that can "sense" when and where problems occur in accessing specific health care services. Using the indicators, the committee presents significant conclusions about the situation today, examining the relationships between access to care and factors such as income, race, ethnic origin, and location. The committee offers recommendations to federal, state, and local agencies for improving data collection and monitoring. This highly readable and well-organized volume will be essential for policymakers, public health officials, insurance companies, hospitals, physicians and nurses, and interested individuals.

Contents: electronic government -- "serving the public on its terms" (electronic benefits transfer; environmental information; wireless public safety network; electronic export assistance; electronic safety, health assistance resource; criminal justice needs; employer tax filing and reporting; support international trade and much more); support mechanisms -- "the tools to operate an electronic government" (guarantee privacy and security; increase productivity of fed. workers; enhance info. technology learning, etc.); appendices (Executive Order 13011, Fed. Info. Technology; summary of action items, etc.).

America's Children is a comprehensive, easy-to-read analysis of the relationship between health insurance and access to care. The book addresses three broad questions: How is children's health care currently financed? Does insurance equal access to care? How should the nation address the health needs of this vulnerable population? America's Children explores the changing role of Medicaid under managed care; state-initiated and private sector children's insurance programs; specific effects of insurance status on the care children receive; and the impact of chronic medical conditions and special health care needs. It also examines the status of "safety net" health providers, including community health centers, children's hospitals, school-based health centers, and others and reviews the changing patterns of coverage and tax policy options to increase coverage of private-sector, employer-based health insurance. In response to growing public concerns about uninsured children, last year Congress voted to provide $24 billion over five years for new state insurance initiatives. This volume will serve as a primer for concerned federal policymakers and regulators, state agency officials, health plan decisionmakers, health care providers, children's health advocates, and researchers.

- Student Book-- hardcover text with a clear, accessible design- Teacher's Edition-- step-by-step support, differentiated instruction, and teaching tips- Student Activity Journal-- content, vocabulary, and skills practice (Teacher's Edition available)- Assessment Book-- content area and vocabulary assessment and progress records- Assessment Folder-- a place to track students' ongoing language development {one sample for the teacher) - Overhead Transparencies-- for whole group instruction