Healthcare Policy and Management

Health care economics examines how money flows through medical systems—who pays, how much, and with what effect on health outcomes and social welfare. Researchers use econometric methods to untangle the consequences of policy choices like Medicare reimbursement rules, the expansion of insurance coverage, and the shift toward coordinated care models such as accountable care organizations and medical homes, all of which reshape the incentives facing patients, providers, and insurers alike. A central puzzle driving ongoing work is why health care spending varies so dramatically across regions and populations without producing proportional differences in outcomes, and whether restructuring insurance markets or payment systems can close that gap. Understanding these dynamics matters not only for government budgets but for designing policies that expand access without eroding the efficiency of care delivery.

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276,873

Total citations

1,683,462

Keywords

Health Care SpendingInsurance MarketsMedicare SpendingMedical Home ModelAccountable Care OrganizationsHealth Insurance Coverage