The use of labour market outcomes in the Value Based Pricing scheme is inconsistent with the concept of value This year, the Department of Health in the UK will begin using a new system of ‘value based pricing’ (VBP) to… Read More »The ‘value’ in value based pricing
It was recently proposed that, here in the UK, foreigners should start having to pay towards their health care because of the apparent budgetary pressure from ‘health tourists’. Let’s be clear upfront; this isn’t a problem. If you believe the media, ‘health tourism’… Read More »No borders, no nations, no user charges
This month’s meeting will take place Monday 1st April, at 5pm London time. That’ll be 6pm in Cape Town and 7pm in Riga. Join the Facebook event here. We’ll also hold an antipodal meeting on Tuesday 2nd April, at 5am London… Read More »#HEJC for 01/04/2013 (new time!)
I’m currently reading Les Mis (I have been for about 2 years – it’s half a million words long). A few months ago, Hugo described economists to me as “geologists of politics” (géologues de la politique). A pretty smart observation… Read More »Some thoughts on evidence-based policy
The aim of a health intervention is generally to cause a cost-effective increase to some normative outcome such as by reducing mortality, increasing productivity and so forth. Often policy makers want to encourage or discourage certain behaviours by using incentives… Read More »Cannabis and asbestos: The cost-effectiveness of prohibition as health policy
Many have spoken out in opposition to the bill. Some have spoken out in support. As health economists most of us have done little of either. I recently wrote to health economists asking them to answer a simple question: “With… Read More »Health and Social Care Bill 2011
We have recently seen the idea of buying/selling/trading organs thrust into the media spotlight (and not for the first time). There’s a lot of very poor thinking floating around in this debate, though Sue Rabbitt Roff’s recent paper, which helped fuel the… Read More »Paying for organs
What’s the point in research if nobody is listening? Below is a 3-day time-line of events in the UK that demonstrate hypocrisy, ignorance and a disregard of empirical evidence within the UK Government. 07/03/2011: The Government demonstrates its commitment to translational… Read More »Falling on deaf ears: The government’s disregard for empirical evidence
This month the Equality Act 2010 was accepted by the Department of Health here in the UK, with no amendments. The NHS can no longer discriminate based on age (aside from a few reasonable exceptions). But can this new legislation… Read More »Equal care for the elderly: A swing and a miss?
