Reference no: EM13995221
Part A-
Answer all questions in the space provided. Point values are in parentheses.
1. Information on the quality of health plans is valuable in its own right. However, knowledge of health plan quality is argued to increase employee price sensitivity with respect to health plans as well. How is this so? What evidence do you have for this effect?
2. Some have argued that larger out-of-pocket employee premium contributions are the result of more two-earner households in the labor market. Sketch out the economic argument for this result.
3. A number of managed care plans have identified "centers of excellence" for the provision of high cost surgical procedures. In some cases the managed care plans agree to pay travel costs for the patient and a caregiver to go several hundred miles to undergo the treatment. Discuss these practices in the context of the principles of selective contracting.
4. Many health policy analysts have argued that the tax treatment of employer sponsored health insurance is one of the fundamental reasons for high health care costs in the U.S. Trace the economic logic that leads from taxing employer-sponsored health insurance as income to reducing health care costs. What evidence can you bring to bear on this issue?
5. The advocates of consumer directed health plans (CDHPs) argue that they will reduce health care spending and make people more effective consumers of care. Describe the key elements of a CDHP and sketch the argument for how it results in lower spending. Summarize the evidence to date on the effectiveness of these plans.
Part B-
Answer all questions in the space provided. (Point values in parentheses.)
1. Many states are concerned about the pension and retiree health benefits obligations that arise from the promises that the states have made to state employees. Suppose the governor asked you to summarize the options for reducing the state's obligations for retiree health insurance.
A. Describe the nature of retiree health benefits typically provided to retirees by large public and private employers.
B. Suggest two proposals to reduce these costs to government. Briefly indicate why/how each proposal would save money.
C. What are the labor market consequences, if any, of your proposals in B?
2. Earlier this month the trustees of the Medicare Trust Fund presented their annual report and indicated that the Trust Fund will be exhausted by 2024, the same date as last year.
A. What does it mean to say that the "Trust Fund will be exhausted"?
B. Over the years, people on each side of the political aisle have proposed a "premium subsidy" plan to try to control Medicare's spending. What are the key features of a premium subsidy plan? How is it supposed to reduce Medicare spending?
3. Your aunt is 60 and thinking about her retirement. Her health is good, but she is on her own and wonders if she should buy a long term care policy. What do you advise her? (Be sure to explain your advice.)
4. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) gives states the opportunity to establish health insurance exchanges.
A. Describe three key decisions (of many) that the states have to make. Which option do you tentatively recommend for each decision? Why?
B. Discuss three options the states have for paying for the costs of running their exchange.
Describe the appeal of the food rewards
: a) Conduct a Chi-Square Test for Goodness of Fit. (Use a .05 significance level and make sure you show all 5 steps of the hypothesis test) b) Use the results of the Chi-Square test to describe the appeal of the food rewards.
|
Optimal bundle on his utility maximizing indifference curve
: Freshman Jim Student only consumes two goods: paper (P) and cups of coffee (C). Suppose that currently Jim has $300 of spending money for the semester. The price of coffee is $3.00 per cup and the price of paper is $5 per 100 sheets. On your budget l..
|
Discuss the economic rationale underlying each view point
: Some have argued that concentration in the health insurance industry has led to lower provider prices. Others have argued that hospital and physician consolidation in the last decade has led to higher insurance premiums. Discuss the economic rat..
|
Explain carbon trading carbon offsets and cap and trade
: Outline and discuss three main areas of disagreement between Benedict Cohen and Jamie Clark.
|
What evidence do you have for this effect
: Information on the quality of health plans is valuable in its own right. However, knowledge of health plan quality is argued to increase employee price sensitivity with respect to health plans as well. How is this so? What evidence do you have ..
|
What kind of a demand-management policy
: After the aggregate demand decreases in part “a” above, what kind of a demand-management policy would a typical liberal economist propose, an active policy or do nothing? How about a conservative economist? What justifications would they provide for ..
|
What accounting treatment if any is warranted
: Suppose the analysis of a loss contingency indicates that an obligation is not probable. What accounting treatment if any is warranted?
|
Non-linear relationships between two variables
: Pearson Correlation cannot be used to identify non-linear relationships between two variables.
|
Discuss the nature of the adverse or favorable selection
: Describe how such plans are supposed to achieve health care cost savings. Summarize the extent of the evidence on how effective these plans have been in reducing health care spending. Discuss the nature of the adverse or favorable selection that may..
|