Health Divided

"Health Divided is a wonderfully written book on an important but frequently neglected dimension of U.S. health policy. Equally important, it contributes to the literature on American political development and the broader debate about the nature and strength of the U.s. state."--, Political Science Quarterly

"A great contribution to the literature on American public health institution."--Journal of Southern History

"Well researched and provides an important perspective for insights into current health care issues."--Choice

"The health care system in the United States presents a paradox: an extensive national public health system with a generous and wide array of services and a fragmented conglomeration of programs and tax incentives for individual health care. In his fascinating book, Daniel Sledge traces the historical development of the two systems to explain how this dichotomy came to be. Although much has been written about the origins of the various health insurance programs that cover individual care, far fewer studies have focused on public health. None have asked the compelling question answered here. Thoroughly researched and beautifully written, Health Divided is necessary reading for anyone interested in how the U.S. became a world leader in public health and a laggard in individual health benefits." --Jill Quadagno, author of One Nation, Uninsured: Why the U.S. Has No National Health Insurance

"An incredibly important and long overdue account of the trajectory of modern American health care policy. Daniel Sledge's brilliant book uses a rich archival analysis to tell the story about how public health and individual medicine became intertwined in federal policy. Health Divided is a must read book for anyone that is interested in American political development, public health, or political history."--Megan Ming Francis, author of Civil Rights and the Making of the Modern American State

"What explains American health policy? Daniel Sledge offers a powerful and persuasive answer by tracing the rise of a strange bifurcation--a highly active federal government addresses public health issues like contagious diseases while a timid federal government abdicates responsibility over individual medical care. Health Divided masterfully illuminates the history of bold choices, missed opportunities, interest group politics, and institutional realities that built the American health care regime. Beautifully written, meticulously researched, and highly recommended."--James A Morone, author of The Democratic Wish and The Devils We Know

"Today, Americans see two very different health care debates--one over public health threats like Zika, where the government's role is virtually uncontested; the other over the controversial 2010 federal law that sought to expand health insurance to most Americans. Daniel Sledge's revelatory new book shows why we these debates are so bifurcated, and how it could have been otherwise. Reconstructing the neglected history of U.S. public health, he shows how visionary leaders of the 1930s came surprisingly close to embracing a national program that integrated community health and individual medical access. In doing so, he reminds us how--and how deeply--our choices today are constrained by the legacies of a forgotten past. "--Jacob S. Hacker, Stanley B. Resor Professor of Political Science, Yale University