An Insider’s View of the Affordable Care Act

For many years, Americans were satisfied to say that they had the best healthcare in the world. But by 2006, a growing number of uninsured Americans and exploding healthcare costs proved the country needed immense healthcare reform.

Presidents Truman, Nixon, and Clinton all proposed overhauls of the healthcare system, but only through a series of specific events was Obama’s Affordable Care Act able to emerge and become national policy.

During this time, NYU Wagner Dean Sherry Glied served as Assistant Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services and was intimately involved in the development and implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Glied offers an insider's perspective on the landmark legislation and the maneuvering that took place behind the scenes to implement.