Reviews for Children's Health Care: Issues for the Year 2000 and Beyond, Vol. 12

The average rating for Children's Health Care: Issues for the Year 2000 and Beyond, Vol. 12 based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2014-09-23 00:00:00 Cynthia Villeneuve The book problematizes the issues on UK's health care issues. Thus, it includes on health care system (NHS), health insurances, genetics and medical test in underwriting, public v private insurance, and end on pensions as it regards the elderly generations health care. As the Malaysia's insurance system is similar in some sense with the UK's, this book is crucial for those in the actuarial field. As noted above, this book was contributed greatly by professionals in the field; ranging from academics in actuarial science & insurance, practicing insurance underwriter, lecturers in philosophy, bio-medics, law and public policies. And what is great is that the chapters written is inter-related to one another, as some focus on pros and some others on cons of a certain, similar issue. On genetic test in underwriting for instance, the great deal of discussion is discussed not just in one chapter. Chapt 1 discuss on the rights of insurers to underwrite, while chapt 2 on the justifications of the right to know (by the policyholders) versus right to ask (by insurers); meanwhile chapt 3 on the UK's genetic research project, its development and challenges, whilst chapt 4 on privacy intrusion in the genetic test -it was written by two professors of law though- and challenging intepretation of it by assigned medical consultant of insurance companies. Chapt 5 meanwhile deals with the HIV issue in insurance, in mortgage applications, questionnaire of underwriting (refuting chapt 1) and infected professionals (doctors etc.). Seeing up to this alone, the issue is complex enough! Chapt 6 focus on the disabled, after 1995 Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) was implemented. The two authors in insurance field discuss on how social model should be build around those who are disabled (their incapabilities to live normal life are due to lack of proper access/features for them) instead of otherwise (they being disabled). This can be seen in the years spent in the UK. Also, they talk on insurance scheme adjusting to DDA, as loophole; their insurance package might use signalling or screening technique to 'fairly discriminate' the insured. Chapt 7 brought up the three dilemmas in health care into the equation: comprehensiveness, accessibility to all and/or high quality health care. Chapt 8 is about the NHS background, and the issues like waiting list, which is more because of budgeting by the Chancelor instead of the presence of some with private insurance. This misconception is hoped to be cleared in the mass. Chapt 9 refuting some of chapt 7 point of the triad of values, based on philosophical notions. The problem of refusing either access to health care in fertility versus abortion, decent minimum versus lowest possible health care and so on was put up. Chapt 10 is more for private insurance in its arguments. It discuss on policy induced risks in implementation of social (compulsary tax-based) insurance; which will gave rise to social conflict rather than the social solidarity rhetoric; it propose on certain reforms like the need of a (4) preconditions, multi (three) pillared system or 4 (higher retirement age), voucher for health care and so on. Also, discussion was there on the 'chilean reform' (which the generations are entitled to double liabilty). The problem of the current (working) generations paying for the old is problematizes, as some of their young don't work or they don't produce child for the next generations. The last chapt was on defined benefits (DB) to defined contributions (DC) in pension schemes, employees switching companies evaluation (encountered this in actuarial textbook discussion), DB liabilities to the state (as its volatile nature), and three problem of divorce case, long-term care, people's gamble on state to provide health provision. And the UK compulsory pension scheme is also enforced on part-time workers (on winter and summer breaks), which I faced before without any rationalization. A very good book on the subject. Recommended to all actuaries (in designing and taking accounts of the multi-faceted problems) and public policy maker on the health care issue. This only propagate to more reading on the subject!

Review # 2 was written on 2013-01-10 00:00:00 Jacob Coleman Normally scientists are pretty dry when it comes to writing, but Dr. Wilmut has really made this one exceptionally interesting. If you are interested in cloning whatsoever this book is highly recommended as a brief history and details of the work that went on to create Dolly the cloned sheep from start to finish.