This book provides key economic facts, explains the economic concepts needed to examine the implications of these facts, and summarizes the results of empirical studies regarding our healthcare system's access, cost, and quality problems as well as identifying six key trends that are reforming...

part Section I: Pressures for Change -- chapter 1 Access -- chapter 2 Cost -- chapter 3 Quality -- chapter Conclusion to Section I -- chapter Introduction -- chapter 4 Align Incentives via Payment System Design -- chapter 5 Managed Care Organizations, Accountable Care Organizations, and...

One of the reasons why regulators are hesitant about permitting price competition in healthcare markets is that it may damage quality when information is poor. Evidence on whether this fear is well-founded is scarce. We provide evidence using a reform that permitted Dutch health insurers and...