Finance and Incentives of the Health Care System - Proceedings of the 50th Anniversary Symposium of the Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation

Abstract

The purpose of health economics is to help to protect citizens by reducing death and health care costs. The former can be achieved if scarce health resources are targeted efficiently to produce health i.e. increases in the length and quality of life. The latter can be achieved by carefully designing the health care system, taking into account the incentives of the participating individuals. Health economics is the not-so-dismal component of economics. This volume, coming from a symposium organized by the Yrjö Jahnsson Foudation in 2004, consists of discussion by leading health economists on incentives and finance of the health care system.