Empirical Studies in Health Economics

This collection of papers is limited to empirical investigations covering five major topics: population, health and program planning; demand analysis structure of industry; productivity and cost; and factors of production. The reports include observations that the health status of relatively young poor persons is similar to that of well-to-do persons (Newhouse), that lowerincome families spend less per unit of illness (Andersen-Benham), that physicians organized into larger groups produce more ancillary services per physician but not more physician visits (Bailey), and that the markets for physician services and hospital care are interdependent (Stevens). The statistical techniques furthering these largely academic inquiries are complex. Moreover, this assemblage deliberately excludes purely speculative work and fails to include many relevant topics, eg, concerning drugs, environmental pollution, and health insurance. However, laymen will find the volume a comprehensible and useful perspective on health economics. The difficulties of linking empirical research with potential formulations of policy