IMixon Assignment Unit 3
Demand for Health Care
Kaplan University
Itandehui Mixon
Unit 3 Assignment
HA415
According to Loureiro, obesity is an emergent health problem, the World health organization (WHO) refers to obesity as a “global epidemic” (2006). Nevertheless, economists don’t know much about its causes and consequences; “obesity is not just about its additional costs to our already-straining health budgets. Obesity also creates challenges to our overall economy and to the public health (Troy, 2012 p 3 para 2).” With that said, the demand for healthcare depends on age, education income, and health status (Dewar, 2010). Furthermore, one of the most cited economic impacts of the obesity epidemic is direct medical spending.
It is important to note that obesity is connected with other severe health conditions such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease (CHD), and asthma. Additionally, direct medical spending on identification and management of such conditions is more than likely to rise with the growth of obesity levels. Several studies conducted support the widespread concurrence that the medical costs linked with obesity are considerable (Hammond and Levine, 2010). In summary, improving health is not the only characteristic of health care that health economics takes into account. If it is accepted that health is a fundamental commodity, we can analyze the demand for improvements in health in very similar ways to the analysis of demand for other goods and services (Dewar, 2010).
According to the Obesity research journal, yearly U.S obesity-attributable medical expenses are projected at 75 billion in 2003 dollars and roughly one half of these expenses are financed by Medicare and Medicaid. For example, in California state level estimates array from 7.7 billion. ). Furthermore, obesity-attributable Medicare estimates range from 1.7 billion in California. Studies conducted recently document the influence that obesity has on annual medical expenses
Kaplan University
Itandehui Mixon
Unit 3 Assignment
HA415
According to Loureiro, obesity is an emergent health problem, the World health organization (WHO) refers to obesity as a “global epidemic” (2006). Nevertheless, economists don’t know much about its causes and consequences; “obesity is not just about its additional costs to our already-straining health budgets. Obesity also creates challenges to our overall economy and to the public health (Troy, 2012 p 3 para 2).” With that said, the demand for healthcare depends on age, education income, and health status (Dewar, 2010). Furthermore, one of the most cited economic impacts of the obesity epidemic is direct medical spending.
It is important to note that obesity is connected with other severe health conditions such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease (CHD), and asthma. Additionally, direct medical spending on identification and management of such conditions is more than likely to rise with the growth of obesity levels. Several studies conducted support the widespread concurrence that the medical costs linked with obesity are considerable (Hammond and Levine, 2010). In summary, improving health is not the only characteristic of health care that health economics takes into account. If it is accepted that health is a fundamental commodity, we can analyze the demand for improvements in health in very similar ways to the analysis of demand for other goods and services (Dewar, 2010).
According to the Obesity research journal, yearly U.S obesity-attributable medical expenses are projected at 75 billion in 2003 dollars and roughly one half of these expenses are financed by Medicare and Medicaid. For example, in California state level estimates array from 7.7 billion. ). Furthermore, obesity-attributable Medicare estimates range from 1.7 billion in California. Studies conducted recently document the influence that obesity has on annual medical expenses
References: Finkelstein, E. A., Fiebelkorn, I. C. and Wang, G. (2004), State-Level Estimates of Annual Medical Expenditures Attributable to Obesity. Obesity Research, 12: 18–24. doi: 10.1038/oby.2004.4. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1038/oby.2004.4/full Hammond R., and Levine, R., (2010). The Economic Impact of Obesity in the United States. Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy. Retrieved from http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/research/files/articles/2010/9/14%20obesity%20cost%20hammond%20levine/0914_obesity_cost_hammond_levine.pdf Loureiro, M., (2006). Obesity: Economic Dimensions of a “Super Size” Problem. Choices. Retrieved from http://www.choicesmagazine.org/2004-3/obesity/2004-3-02.htm