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Income Disparity, Inequity Aversion and the Design of the Healthcare System

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  • John Leach

Abstract

An ex post social welfare function is used to evaluate alternative healthcare systems. If a society is averse to inequality and there is some income disparity, social welfare under private healthcare insurance is sometimes higher and sometimes lower than social welfare under public healthcare. However, a third system—public healthcare with the option to purchase supplemental healthcare insurance—is always socially preferred to private healthcare insurance. Moreover, it is either socially preferred to public healthcare or equivalent to it.

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  • John Leach, 2009. "Income Disparity, Inequity Aversion and the Design of the Healthcare System," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 111(2), pages 277-297, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:scandj:v:111:y:2009:i:2:p:277-297
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9442.2009.01564.x
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    1. Marc Fleurbaey & Marie‐Louise Leroux & Pierre Pestieau & Gregory Ponthiere & Stephane Zuber, 2022. "Premature deaths, accidental bequests, and fairness," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 124(3), pages 709-743, July.

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