Distributing Health Care: Economic and Ethical Issues

by Paul Dolan, Jan Abel Olsen

This is a new health economics textbook with a difference. It is based firmly in the discipline of economics and, as such, it fills a gap in the health economics market. But, unlike other texts in the area, it is very explicit about the distributive implications of economic models and it provides clear rathionale for public involvement in the market for health care. It separatesthe efficiency reasons for public involvement(based on notions of 'market failure') from the equity reasons(based on the views of society that health care should be distributed according to the notion of health needs rather than according to ability to pay).
The book illustrates the distributional aspects of money flows in the financing and provision of health care, and discusses who are the gainers and who are the losers under different financing arrangements. A central part of the book contains a discussion of those techniques that are increasingly being used to aid decisions about how to distribute health care. Beyond the parameters included in economic evaluation techniques such as cost- benefit analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis, the book discusses some key ethical issues that are relevant for decision-makers when setting health care priorities.

168 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Connor Fullam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dolan and Olsen do a great job of breaking down the economics of health care. The first two chapters are more of a review of what health is and the fundamentals of economics, as they pertain to health. The book ends up reading like a textbook, but more personality is involved. Many psychological aspects of behavior are considered as factors and variables in this book. I do believe this deeply considers all sides to the issue of distribution of health care. However one question must be asked, at which point do the variables considered become insignificant? I feel as if a lot of attention was given to how a characteristic of society could effect health care rather than how it did effect health care. This book by no means answers the question as to how health care should be distributed, but rather looks at the economical factors taken into consideration, and should be seen as a reference material.