Background Brief Examines Cost-Sharing in Three European Countries; Commentary Looks at ‘Suboptimal’ Quality of U.S. Health Care

• "Cost Sharing for Health Care: France, Germany and Switzerland," Kaiser Family Foundation: The background brief examines how France, Germany and Switzerland deal with cost sharing in their health systems. Each country requires cost-sharing and all three have specific policies set to limit its impact on people with significant health care needs and low incomes. The brief gives a health care system overview for each country and examines their cost-sharing policies, exemptions and limits ("Cost Sharing for Health Care: France, Germany, and Switzerland," Kaiser Family Foundation, January 2009).
  
  
• "Improving the Quality of Health Care: Who Is Responsible for What?" Journal of the American Medical Association: The commentary examines the current "suboptimal" quality of health care in the U.S. and some negative consequences of recent efforts to address the issue. In addition, the commentary identifies the proper "stakeholders responsible for improving health care" and outlines their "shared and unique obligations" (Wharam/Sulmasy, JAMA, 1/14).