The discussion question is: a.) Using benefit cost analysis along the lines of ”Pricing the Priceless” discuss the U.S. healthcare system, now largely privatized, and list one such cost (think opportunity cost) and one such benefit (think economies of scale, spreading disease, research and innovation) from expanding health care coverage to a more public position in our society. b.) Explain the cost and the benefit you pick in economic terms. c.)Then, provide two reasons why public health care systems like ones in Denmark and Canada can be viewed as public goods (think excludable, non-excludable, rivalrous, non rivalrous, dealing with free rider problem). Explain your reasons.
Note: you must write a concise answer and correctly and appropriately use a minimum of four of these following concepts or terms found in the reading or videos. If you use terms different from those listed below from the reading or video(s) you must note the location they can be found in the reading or video by citing the specific name of source and page of the text or video time. Terms or concepts include the following: opportunity costs, excludable, non-excludable, rivalrous, non rivalrous, free rider problem, health care costs, legal or illegal, research funding, economies of scale, spreading disease, stopping contagions, research and innovation) as explained in the textbook and videos. Be sure to bold the minimum four or more terms or concepts in the text of your initial discussion post as you use them.
Helpful hints: So, the basic questions are what makes public health a public good; does benefit/cost analysis lend itself to analyzing the questions of public health implementation (maybe not) and if not why is it deficient for that purpose; will it have the effect of inhibiting competition or research and development (opportunity costs?); what is accessibility/delivery now and under public health (again, public good question); what are marginal benefits and marginal costs (opportunity costs) of privatized health care vs. more universal health care?
