http://worldcat.org/entity/work/id/1225063

How much is good health worth?

The paper analyzes the reasons for the deficiencies in past analyses of government health programs and proposes remedies. Although the paper focuses specifically on health programs, the discussion is relevant to most government activity. The concepts derived from this analysis are applied to evaluating both non-poverty health programs and health programs for the poor. Much of the discussion is applicable to evaluating poverty and non-poverty programs outside of health. The following conclusions were made: Outside of the poverty area, the government should generally restrict itself to infectious disease and pollution control programs and to encouragement of biomedical research; and Poverty health programs may be justified either as a means to increase total subjective value in the society or to redistribute well-being towards the poor. In either case, the preferences of the non-poor should receive substantial weight in program design. (Author).

Open All Close All