Health Economics is the most complete text available on the economics of health behavior and health care delivery. Appropriate both for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students of economics, this text provides key analytical tools required for understanding current research, presenting empirical evidence on each issue and summarizing results for easy comprehension. Issues discussed include the "cost explosion" in health care, the power of medical associations, the search for remuneration systems with favorable incentives, and technological change in medicine. Without neglecting ethical concerns, modern microeconomic theory is applied to formulate theoretical implications and predictions, and key arguments are summarized to facilitate follow-up, review, and documentation. Rather than simplifying the issues facing today's healthcare systems, the book models existing complexities as they are, adapting economics to reflect the views of the average person.

Klappentext

Health Economics presents a systematic treatment of the economics of health behavior and health care delivery. Appropriate both for advanced undergraduate and graduate students of economics, this text provides the background required to understand current research,

presenting theoretical models as well as empirical evidence and summarizing key results. Without neglecting ethical concerns, modern microeconomic theory is applied to

formulate theoretical implications and predictions. Issues discussed include the economic valuation of life and health, moral hazard in health care utilization, supplier-induced demand, the search for remuneration systems with favorable incentives, risk selection in health insurance markets, and technological change in medicine.

Inhalt

Economic Valuation of Life and Health.- Individuals as Producers of Their Health.- Empirical Studies of the Production of Health.- Health Goods, Market Failure and Justice.- Optimal Health Insurance Contracts.- Risk Selection in Health Insurance Markets.- Physicians as Suppliers of Medical Services.- Hospital Services and Efficiency.- Paying Providers.- Forms of Delivery of Medical Care.- The Market for Pharmaceuticals.- The Political Economy of Health Care.- Future Challenges to Health Care Systems.