LSCPA MICROECONOMICS(LL)TXT
LSCPA MICROECONOMICS(LL)TXT
21st Edition
ISBN: 9781260720754
Author: McConnell
Publisher: MCG
Question
Book Icon
Chapter 24, Problem 1DQ
To determine

Health care industries in the USA.

Expert Solution & Answer
Check Mark

Explanation of Solution

Rising expenditures on goods such as household appliances or education are considered as economically desirable because the consumers are willing to pay the price for these goods. In addition, the production of these goods (appliances or education) is expanding under a relatively competitive market conditions. But there is concern about rising expenditures in the health care industry in the USA.

There is a concern about the same expenditures in the health care industry because of a unique feature of the health care market. On the demand side, there is an imperfect competition in the sense that the buyers have different information about the services needed or the fees that will be charged for the services. On the supply side also, there is an imperfect competition in the sense that the doctors control much of the provision of health care.

Moreover, in context of health insurance, the third-party insurance companies pay the direct costs of most health care on a fee-for-service basis. That is, the consumer pays less than the full price at the time of consumption. This leads to overconsumption. This overconsumption by the insured people may lead to the problem of moral hazard. In short, the economists are concerned about the health care in the USA due to the problem of inefficient allocation of resources in the health care industries.

Economics Concept Introduction

Concept introduction:

Facts about the US health care: The US health care industry has 17 million workers, in5,800 hospitals. In the USA, most of the people have private health insurance. In recent years, the spending on health care facilities has increased (may be due to the high cost and price for health care).

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Subscribe now to access step-by-step solutions to millions of textbook problems written by subject matter experts!
Students have asked these similar questions
As one of the largest and fastest-growing industries in 2018, health care provided how many jobs for wage and salary workers? O 18 million 30 million 3 pts O 24 million O 12 million
Suppose that the price elasticity for hip replacement surgeries is 0.2. Further suppose that hip replacement surgeries are originally not covered by health insurance and that at a price of $50,000 each, 10,000 such surgeries are demanded each year. LO24.2   a. Suppose that health insurance begins to cover hip replacement surgeries and that everyone interested in getting a hip replacement has health insurance. If insurance covers 50 percent of the cost of the surgery, by what percentage would you expect the quantity demanded of hip replacements to increase? What if insurance covered 90 percent of the price? If insurance covers 50 percent of the bill, just assume that the price paid by consumers falls 50 percent.) b. Suppose that with insurance companies covering 90 percent of the price, the increase in demand leads to a jump in the price per hip surgery from $50,000 to $100,000. How much will each insured patient now pay for a hip replacement surgery? Compared to the original situation,…
(Last Word)  The combined cost of Social Security and Medicare programs was what percent of U.S. GDP in 2008 (A) 7.6 (B) 12.4  (C) 17.2 (D) 2.9
Knowledge Booster
Background pattern image
Similar questions
SEE MORE QUESTIONS
Recommended textbooks for you
Text book image
EBK HEALTH ECONOMICS AND POLICY
Economics
ISBN:9781337668279
Author:Henderson
Publisher:YUZU