We spent our first years of medical school struggling to educate ourselves about health care in the United States. Every source we found was biased, overly academic, or narrowly focused. It was too hard for a beginner to get a clear picture of the system. So we decided to write the book we wished we'd had: an explanation of the U.S. healthcare system in one simple, practical, and neutral overview. After thousands of research hours and consulting with dozens of experts, we wrote a one-stop guide in just 256 pages. And, with help from a grant, we were able to keep the book's price low -- making it accessible for students like us. Now, we're excited to share the 2nd edition. We've worked hard to keep on top of the turbulent health care system and added in some great new sections covering health IT, health care teams and more. Published by Washington University and funded by a grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health, The Health Care Handbook is essential reading for health care professionals, students, and anyone interested in health care or public policy. The Handbook includes a foreword by Dr. William Peck, former chair of the Association of American Medical Colleges and former dean of the Washington University School of Medicine. - The authors.