“Chained to Jobs they hate by health coverage they can’t afford to lose”
A humorous take the serious problem of job lock. HT: Carolyn’s Blog
Rushing to produce a Swine Flu Vaccine: A Cautionary Tale
The Washington Post recounts a cautionary tale concerning a hasty roll-out of the flu vaccine this fall. “As U.S. health officials consider rolling out a plan to inoculate the nation against swine flu in the next several months, they are haunted by the events that unfolded the last time the government stepped in to head…
How did the national debt get so big?
The book Cadillac Desert discusses the development of dams, aquaducts, and irrigation canals to slake the thirst of cities and farmers in the Western U.S.. While these projects did eventually deliver the water they promised, they did so at huge costs to taxpayers. In the words of former congressmen Robert W. Edgar: “The old-boy network…
Why is the Jamaica Tourism Board Advertising?
Recently, I have seen a number of commercials promoting tourism to Jamaica. Why are these commercials running? Let us assume that these commercials convince 2% of vacationers to go to Jamaica. If this is the case, it would make more sense to advertise during boom times; 2% of a large number of vacationers is a…
Regression Discontinuity
Regression Discontinuity is an econometric method that has become popular in recent years. Let me give you an example where regression discontinuity would be valid. Let us say that all students who score 1000 or more on their SATs matriculate at Ivy U and all students who score below 1000 attend college at State…
Spend more time eating, Weigh Less
According to Economix, countries whose people spend more time eating have a lower obesity rates.
Cavalcade of Risk – May 6 edition
The Tax Update Blog literally puts out fires in the latest edition of the Cavalcade of Risk. My favorite posts include: Will the Swine Flu outbreak be “the defining moment for the idea of expanded Federal involvement in health care?“ What’s the difference between a pandemic and an epidemic? The Wise Curve takes a ‘Don’t…
Are health insurance markets competitive?
The answer: sometimes. A study by Dafny (2009) finds that in markets with ten or more insurers, markets do seem to be competitive. However, with six or less insurers, health insurers do have some market power due to switching costs. “Using data on ‘fully insured’ health plans offered to employees of 184 publicly-held firms in…
Swine Flu Update: Tuesday
Daily Kos has an interesting post on what should be the threshold to close a school. A second American died from the swine flu. Hong Kong hotel quarantine. Will the swine flu become drug resistant? Although pork is safe to eat, many people still fear eating products made from pigs. Hog farmers may face significant losses…
Adverse Selection in Action
For individuals who have recently lost their job, Carolyn’s Blog advises them how to get health insurance coverage. “Unless you have a pre-existing condition you should only stick with COBRA until you find a private health insurance plan. Believe it or not, if you go with a High Deductible Health Care Plan (HDHP) for a…