Econ 2498 Variable Topics: Health Economics
What can economics add to the study of health? Why are some individuals and societies healthier than others? Is the US health sector efficient? Can health be considered a type of capital? Did raising taxes reduce smoking in the US? Why is obesity becoming a worldwide epidemic? What are the most important problems with health insurance? Does medical license interfere with competition? Should government provide (universal) health insurance? If the great majority of diseases that affect developing countries are preventable in a cost-effective way, why are they still a problem? This course will aim to answer these and related questions through economic theory and evidence from recent empirical research.
For more information, contact: Patricia Ritter at Patricia.ritter@uconn.edu