ECON 2D03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Defensive Medicine, Prenatal Care
Document Summary
The charging of a specific fee for provision of a specific health care service, defensive medicine. The ordering if unnecessary tests and services by health care professionals solely to protect themselves from charges of malpractice. Insurance carried by health care professionals to protect themselves from large malpractice damage awards: third party payment. A health (cid:272)are pay(cid:373)e(cid:374)t (cid:373)ade (cid:271)y so(cid:373)eo(cid:374)e other tha(cid:374) the patie(cid:374)t or the patie(cid:374)t s fa(cid:373)ily: rapid technological change. The practice of recovering the unpaid costs of some patients by charging higher prices to other patients: attitudes of patients. Demand excessive care without much regard for cost. Medical costs have been skyrocketing: waste and inefficiencies. Patients forgo cost-effective preventative health care interventions: prenatal care; blood pressure checks, child immunization.
