Background Note | HBS Case Collection | February 2015

A Note on the Affordable Care Act and the U.S. Health Care System

by Joseph L. Bower and Michael Norris

Abstract

This note provides an overview of the U.S. health care system as it stood in 2014, including an overview of hospitals, doctors, insurance companies, and other health care providers. It also discusses the major political actions on health care in the 20th century, including Medicare, Medicaid, and the early planning process for the Affordable Care Act at the beginning of the Obama presidency.

Keywords: health care; health care policy; political process; Health Care and Treatment; Health Industry; United States;

Language: English Format: Print 39 pages EducatorsPurchase

Citation:

Bower, Joseph L., and Michael Norris. "A Note on the Affordable Care Act and the U.S. Health Care System." Harvard Business School Background Note 315-031, January 2015.

Related Work

  1. Supplement | HBS Case Collection | February 2015

    The Affordable Care Act (B): Industry Negotiations

    Joseph L. Bower and Michael Norris

    In 2009, the Obama administration and Senator Max Baucus, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee enter into talks with industry groups that will be affected by the health reform that the Congress is working on.

    Keywords: health care; health care policy; Health; Health Industry; United States;

    Citation:

    Bower, Joseph L., and Michael Norris. "The Affordable Care Act (B): Industry Negotiations." Harvard Business School Supplement 315-033, February 2015.  View Details
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  2. Supplement | HBS Case Collection | February 2015

    The Affordable Care Act (C): Legislative Strategy in the Senate

    Joseph L. Bower and Michael Norris

    In 2009, the Senate begins drafting its health care bills. Jurisdiction in the Senate is shared between two committees, but the more important is the Senate Finance Committee.

    Keywords: health care; health care policy; Government and Politics; Health; Government Administration; Health Industry; United States;

    Citation:

    Bower, Joseph L., and Michael Norris. "The Affordable Care Act (C): Legislative Strategy in the Senate." Harvard Business School Supplement 315-034, February 2015.  View Details
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  3. Supplement | HBS Case Collection | February 2015

    The Affordable Care Act (D): Making a Decision on the Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance Tax Exclusion

    Joseph L. Bower and Michael Norris

    In the summer of 2009, a meeting is called in the White House to discuss the impact of changing the rules on the employer-sponsored health insurance tax exclusion.

    Keywords: health care; health care policy; Health; Government and Politics; Health Industry; United States;

    Citation:

    Bower, Joseph L., and Michael Norris. "The Affordable Care Act (D): Making a Decision on the Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance Tax Exclusion." Harvard Business School Supplement 315-035, February 2015.  View Details
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  4. Supplement | HBS Case Collection | February 2015

    The Affordable Care Act (E): The August 2009 Recess

    Joseph L. Bower and Michael Norris

    During the Congress's August recess in 2009, the Tea Party makes a big push to stop the health reform bill moving through Congress.

    Keywords: health care; health care policy; Government and Politics; Health; Policy; Health Industry; United States;

    Citation:

    Bower, Joseph L., and Michael Norris. "The Affordable Care Act (E): The August 2009 Recess." Harvard Business School Supplement 315-036, February 2015.  View Details
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  5. Supplement | HBS Case Collection | February 2015

    The Affordable Care Act (F): Regaining Momentum

    Joseph L. Bower and Michael Norris

    In the fall of 2009, President Obama makes a speech to a joint session of Congress in an attempt to regain lost momentum on health reform and get a bill through Congress.

    Keywords: health care; health care policy; Government and Politics; Health; Policy; Health Industry; United States;

    Citation:

    Bower, Joseph L., and Michael Norris. "The Affordable Care Act (F): Regaining Momentum." Harvard Business School Supplement 315-037, February 2015.  View Details
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  6. Supplement | HBS Case Collection | February 2015

    The Affordable Care Act (G): The Final Votes

    Joseph L. Bower and Michael Norris

    In the fall of 2009, the House and Senate each voted to pass health reform bills. These bills then had to be combined into the Affordable Care Act and the ACA had to be passed by both houses. Reconciliation had to be used because of Republican Scott Brown's Senate victory in Massachusetts.

    Keywords: health care; health care policy; Government and Politics; Health; Policy; Health Industry; United States;

    Citation:

    Bower, Joseph L., and Michael Norris. "The Affordable Care Act (G): The Final Votes." Harvard Business School Supplement 315-038, February 2015.  View Details
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  7. Supplement | HBS Case Collection | February 2015

    The Affordable Care Act (H): Implementation Begins

    Joseph L. Bower and Michael Norris

    In the spring of 2010, after the ACA is signed into law, the government begins implementation.

    Keywords: health care; health care policy; Government and Politics; Health; Policy; Health Industry; United States;

    Citation:

    Bower, Joseph L., and Michael Norris. "The Affordable Care Act (H): Implementation Begins." Harvard Business School Supplement 315-039, February 2015.  View Details
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  8. Supplement | HBS Case Collection | February 2015

    The Affordable Care Act (I): The Supreme Court

    Joseph L. Bower and Michael Norris

    In the spring of 2012, the Supreme Court hears arguments and releases its decision on the constitutionality of the ACA.

    Keywords: health care; health care policy; Government and Politics; Health; Policy; Health Industry; United States;

    Citation:

    Bower, Joseph L., and Michael Norris. "The Affordable Care Act (I): The Supreme Court." Harvard Business School Supplement 315-040, February 2015.  View Details
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  9. Supplement | HBS Case Collection | February 2015

    The Affordable Care Act (J): Healthcare.gov

    Joseph L. Bower and Michael Norris

    In the fall of 2013, Healthcare.gov launches as an insurance exchange for consumers to buy health insurance. The launch is filled with glitches, and some worry if it will imperil the fate of the entire ACA.

    Keywords: health care; health care policy; Government and Politics; Health; Policy; Health Industry; United States;

    Citation:

    Bower, Joseph L., and Michael Norris. "The Affordable Care Act (J): Healthcare.gov." Harvard Business School Supplement 315-041, February 2015.  View Details
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  10. Supplement | HBS Case Collection | February 2015

    The Affordable Care Act (A): Legislative Strategy in the House of Representatives

    Joseph L. Bower and Michael Norris

    In early 2009, the Obama administration and the Democratically-led Congress began working on what would eventually become the Affordable Care Act. The (A) case in this series discusses the legislative strategy in the House of Representatives, where three different committees each had jurisdiction over health care legislation.

    Keywords: health care; health care policy; Government and Politics; Government Administration; Health Care and Treatment; Health Industry; United States;

    Citation:

    Bower, Joseph L., and Michael Norris. "The Affordable Care Act (A): Legislative Strategy in the House of Representatives." Harvard Business School Supplement 315-032, February 2015.  View Details
    CiteView DetailsPurchase Related

About the Author

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Joseph L. Bower
Donald K. David Professor of Business Administration, Emeritus

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