| Policy Challenges in Modern Health Care Health care delivery in the United States is an enormously complex enterprise, and its $1.6 trillion annual expenditures involve a host of competing interests. While arguably the nation offers among the most technologically advanced medical care in the world, the American system consistently under performs relative to its resources. Gaps in financing and service delivery pose major barriers to improving health, reducing disparities, achieving universal insurance coverage, enhancing quality, controlling costs, and meeting the needs of patients and families. DAVID MECHANIC is the director of the Institute for Health, Health Care Policy, and Aging Research at Rutgers University and the national program director of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Investigator Awards in Health Policy Research. LYNN B. ROGUT is deputy director of the Investigator Awards in Health Policy Research. DAVID C. COLBY is deputy director of the Health Care Group and senior program officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. JAMES R. KNICKMAN is vice president for Research and Evaluation. |