Unbiased Analysis of Today's Healthcare Issues
On Monday and Tuesday I will be attending the All-UC Labor Economics Workshop at UCLA. I will be presenting a poster from my job market paper: “Operating on Commission: How physician financial incentives affect surgery rates.”
In an attempt to stabilize the economy, the U.S. government has taken some significant actions. Let’s recount. The government has taken over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Combined assets: $5 trillion. The government has “rescued” Bear Stearns by backstopping questionable assets valued at $29 billion. The government has given a loan to AIG for $85…
The Healthcare Economist was named one of the top 100 health care blogs by RN Central.
John Cochrane gives writing tips for Ph.D. students. One of the key insights it the following: “Many economists falsely think of themselves as scientists who just “write up” research. We are not; we are primarily writers. Economics and finance papers are essays. Most good economists spend at least 50% of the time they put into…
Soldiers have their gun, musicians their instrument and economists their pen. Deft writing can elucidate the most esoteric economic ideas; poor writing is boring and impenetrable. Although few realize it, writing is the economist’s trade. Deirdre McClosky’s Economical Writing is an entertaining, practical guide for any social scientist. Below is a list of some the…
The latest edition of the Health Wonk Review is up at the Disease Management Care Blog.
In the UK, a dental clinic has opened in a Sainsbury’s grocery store. The grocery store dental clinics aim to fill a patient need caused by the shortage of dentists in the UK. BBC News reports, “Dentist Lance Knight said the practice aimed at “making dental healthcare more accessible and convenient to better meet…
The Running a Hospital blog notes that a physician peer review system is absent in most hospitals. Physicians are only critiqued when something goes wrong. However, this need not be the case. “Our Chief of Neurology, Clif Saper, originated a thoughtful practice… The doctors in his department do randomly assigned reviews of the case notes…
In the N.Y. Times, Sandeep Jauhar discuss the problems with P4P. Hat Tip: Cato-at-Liberty.
Medicare was implemented in 1965 to cover the medical costs of the oldest members in society. In 1965, the U.S. life expectancy was only 70 years old. Now, however, life expectancy at birth is over 78 years. Medicare is now not just covering the oldest of the old, it also covers the “moderately” old since…