Price Elasticity of Demand and Health Care free essay sample

Running Heading: Price Elasticity and Health Care Price Elasticity of Demand and Health Care Table of Contents I. II. Introduction III. Measure of Health Care Demand IV. Price Elasticity of Demand for HealthCare V. RAND Study VI. Health Care Trends in 2007 VII. Summary Introduction The Health Care System in the U. S continues to be a topic of debate as the cost for health care continue to grow. Many Americans are being forces to change the way they use the health care system as the costs rising faster than their income. More than 6 in 10 Americans with ealth insurance coverage indicate that the costs they are responsible for paying under their plan have increased in the past year. This paper examines the elasticity of demand for health care services. Measure of Health Care Demand The demand for health care is often measured by the quantity of services used such as the number of doctor visits, prescriptions filled or inpatient hospital stays. We will write a custom essay sample on Price Elasticity of Demand and Health Care or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The demand is also measured by the total costs of the services. The cost of health care for the consumer usually depends on the amount of premiums, deductible, and coinsurance or copayments that they are required to contribute. The amounts can vary and this can make it difficult to estimate the price elasticity of demand for health care services. In order to gage the effect of price changes, the researcher would need to determine the effective price that a consumer is willing to pay for an additional unit of health care services. Elasticity of Demand for Health Care The price elasticity of demand measures the percentage change in quantity demanded resulting from a 1 percent change in price. The elasticity of demand for a product or service will vary depending on the level of price and quantity at which it is evaluated. The elasticity of demand can vary depending on the different combinations of price and quantity demanded. As the norm, the price elasticity of demand will always be negative. This indicates that the consumer will demand less of the service or good as the price increase all other factors held constant. The demand for health care has been consistently found to be price inelastic due to the few close substitutes for medical services. The range of price elasticity it tends to be around – 0. 17, meaning that a 1 percent increase in the cost of health care will lead to a 0. 17 percent eduction in health care expenditures. Studies show that the demand levels decrease as the levels of cost sharing decrease. Some types of services such as pharmacy and preventative care benefits are tend to have higher price elasticities since there are other goods or services that can serve as substitutes. As a result, the consumer is able to move toward substitute services or goods as the price increa ses. The demand for health care is also considered to be income inelastic. The estimates of income elasticity of demand are in the range of 0 to 0. 2. This measure indicates that as income ncreases, the demand for health care services increase as well. The demand for health care can also be affected by the services being offered by a particular health plan. The variation of out-of- pocket expenses for services or premiums can impact the number of plan enrollees and the demand for health care services paid for by that plan. RAND Study Between 1974 and 1982, the government, funded a social insurance experiment referred to as the RAND Health Insurance Experiment (HIE). The experience was intended to answer some question pertaining to the demand for health care. Families in six sites were randomly placed into different insurance plans. The plans had different levels of cost-sharing, deductible amounts and out-of-pocket maximums. Although the HIE was conducted decades ago, the results of the studies are considered the â€Å"gold standard† for health demand elasticity estimates. The HIE studies compared health care use among individuals in different insurance plans. The studies indicated that use of health care services in the HIE was not affected by the out-of-pocket maximums. For coinsurance rates between 0 and 25 percent, the price elasticity of medical expenditures was found to be –0. 17. Consistent with the patterns seen in observational studies, the demand for health care was found to be somewhat more price sensitive as the coinsurance rate increased. In the HIE, coinsurance rates between 25 and 95 percent yielded elasticity estimates of –0. 22. The health care system has changed over the years since the experiment was conducted. There have been significant advances in medical technology and the pharmaceutical market. Healthcare Trends in 2007 Health care costs were estimated to 16. 2% of the U. S. gross domestic product (GDP) in 2007. The 2007 Health Confidence Survey (HCS) is conducted annually to get feedback from Americans regarding the health care system in the U. S. The survey was conducted within the United States between May 17 and June 10, 2007, through 20-minute telephone interviews with 1,000 individuals ages 21 and older. Random digit dialing was used to obtain a representative cross section of the U. S. population. The results show that rising health care costs are affecting the way that consumers use the health care system. Although some positive changes have been made, some consumers are delaying going to the doctor or not filling prescriptions due to the high cost. Some of the trends identified in the survey are: . 63 percent of Americans with health insurance coverage reported they experienced an increase in The costs they are responsible for paying under their plan in the past year. Of these, a large percentage says the increased costs have caused them to try to take better care of themselves (81 percent in 2007; 71 percent in 2005), talk to the doctor more regarding treatment o ptions and costs (66 percent in 2007; 57 percent in 2005), go to the doctor only for serious conditions or symptoms (64 percent in 2007; 54 percent in 2005), delay going to the doctor (50 percent in 2007; 40 percent in 2005), and not fill or skip doses of heir prescribed medications(28 percent in 2007; 21 percent in 2005). †¢ Those consumers that incurred cost increases are also likely to report that these increases have negatively affected their household finances. For some, the increase resulted in a decrease in contributions to retirement (30 percent) and other savings (52 percent) and difficulty paying for basic necessities (29 percent) and other bills (36 percent). †¢ Three-quarters of those with employment-based health coverage (76 percent) state they would prefer $7,500 in employment-based health benefits to an additional $7,500 in taxable income. Six in 10 rate the health care system as fair (29 percent) or poor (30 percent). Many consumers feel the health care sys tem needs a complete overhaul (24 percent) or requires major changes (47 percent). †¢ While half of Americans (51 percent) remain satisfied with health care quality, less than 2 in 10 are satisfied with the cost of health insurance (18 percent) or with costs not covered by insurance (16 percent). Many consumers believe they have no impact or no influence on the overall health care costs. Due to the rising health care costs, many American consumers are concerned about how the costs nd 15% view health care as a critical issue. While that is a small percentage, the dissatisfaction with the American health care system is widespread. Summary As the life expectancy has increased over the years, the demand of health care has increased. The cost of health care has also continued to increase, however, there will always be a demand for health care services. The demand for health care will be affected by economic variables such as plan design, income, and risk preferences. Overall, the pr ice elasticity of demand for heath care is relatively low. References The Kaiser Family Foundation (2007, September). Trend in Health Care Costs and Spending Retrieved November 30, 2007 from http://www. kff. org/insurance/upload/7692. pdf Employee Benefit Research Institute (2007, November) Notes: 2007 Health Confidence Survey: Rising HealthCare Costs Are Changing the Ways Americans Use the Health Care System. Retrieved December 3, 2007 from http://www. ebri. org. Ringel, Hosek, Vollaard, and Mahnovski. (2005) The Elasticity of Demand for Health Care: A Review of the Literature and Its Application to the Military Health System. Retrieved December 5, 2007 from http://www. rand. org/pubs/monograph_reports/2005/MR1355. pdf.

Science Investigatory Project of Group Essays

Science Investigatory Project of Group Essays Science Investigatory Project of Group Paper Science Investigatory Project of Group Paper Fertilizers are any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of the plant. Good fertility is fundamental to successful plant growth and the application of fertilizers and manures is an essential graining act activity. The maintenance of adequate levels of nutrients in the soil is essential for healthy plant growth. The present study deals with the utilization fruit peels for the effective growth of plants and higher yield. Different fruit peels such as, Orange pineapple and banana were used. Scope and Limitations: This investigation is limited only to prove if orange, banana, and pineapple peelings can help to lower the acidity of soil. The acidity of soil is tested by the litmus paper . This investigation may finish within one week. Significance of the Study Orange (citrus genesis), banana (MUSM communicate) and pineapple Nanas commons) peeling possesses special properties that is needed to control the acidity of the soil.. These materials will be used a fertilizer and tested its ability to germinate mug beans(vagina radiate). This study will promote the relevance of farming by using these materials as a fertilizer and as new crop. It encourages households to recycle their orange and banana peelings to compost it in their plots and grow mug beans as an alternative crop. Finally, it inspire people to further study and search for more benefits from fruits, vegetables and other agricultural reduces. Acidic soil having a pH value less than 4 have toxic amounts of Aluminum and Manganese. Alkaline soils have iron, manganese, zinc, boron and copper deficiency. Fertilizer use, plant root activity, and rainfall are some of the causes of soil pH decrease. Accumulation of magnesium and calcium salts results in having an alkaline soil. Bananas are a good source of manganese, vitamin BE and vitamin C. They are also a great source of energy. It is rich in potassium that helps counter the effects of sodium. Aside from manganese, it is also a good source of magnesium and copper. The mineral magnesium helps to strengthen the bones and help avoid cardiac-related problems. The mineral copper can help anemic persons gain red blood cells. It is also a source of vitamin C. Banana peelings are rich in anti-oxidants and potassium. It can be used for skin care purposes. The peelings can help treat splinters and scratches. They can be used in polishing. The website http:// www. Intercommunications. Com/2014/never-throw-away-orange- banana-peels. HTML says that the peelings can absorb lead and copper from water. Oranges belong to the Reeducate family of the genus; Citrus. Its scientific name is Citrus Genesis. Oranges are rich in Pectin which helps to protect the mucous membrane of the colon. Oranges have very good levels of Vitamin A which is essential for vision and healthy skin. It has very good amounts Of potassium and calcium. It is an excellent source of Vitamin C which helps the body to develop resistance against infectious agents. Organic, pesticide free orange peels are edible and help to improve digestion. Orange peels can help people with oily skin. It can be added to meat dishes to enhance its flavor. Powdered Orange peels can help some respiratory problems. Orange peels can also help a person experiencing nausea. Pineapples are a fruit from the species Nanas commons. It is rich in foliates, thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine and minerals like copper, manganese and potassium. It is an excellent source of vitamin C which is required for the collagen synthesis in the body. It is also a source of broomball which helps to break down proteins. Pineapples also are a source of vitamin A but in only a mall amount. Pineapple peelings can be used in many ways like using it to create beverages. They can be prepared to treat the skin in a form of a foot scrub. It is also a source of broomball. Pineapple peelings are rich in cellulose, homelessness and carbohydrates. Pineapple peelings can also be turned into other things or just to produce fragrance. The purpose of this study is to find an alternative way to change the pH of soil. Success in this study will give some fruit peelings a new use which will lessen garbage. Using fruit peelings can be better as not everyone can have access to agricultural lime or sulfates. Gardeners and farmers also have a greater access to fruit peelings since some plant fruits. They can use their very own products to change the soil pH. METHODOLOGY To test the effect of fruit peelings to the acidity of soil, materials will be collected or prepared in order to have a successful experiment. The materials needed for this study are litmus paper, five containers with same sizes, fruit peelings from different kinds Of fruits, specifically Orange, Banana and Pineapple, 2 kilograms of soil, water and quail eggshells. Litmus paper will be used to test the acidity of soil before and after applying the peelings. Water will be used to test soil acidity. Quail eggshells will be prepared as to have a controlled set-up. After obtaining the materials, the experiment can then be started. A scoop of soil from a container will be mixed into a cup of water. The soil and the water must be mix well. Once the soil and the water completely mixed with each other, a litmus paper will be applied to a sufficient amount. The soil must be mixed with water to allow a reaction to take place with the litmus paper. The containers will be labeled A, B, C and D. The soil will be divided into 4 containers, the fruit peelings will be added to containers A, B, and C. Each container must receive only fruit peelings from a particular plant. The container A must be filled with pineapple peelings, container B must be filled with Orange peelings and container C be filled with Banana peelings. Meanwhile, the quail eggshells will be place to container D. Allowing a day to pass will at least allow the independent variables, the fruit peelings and the quail eggshells in particular, to decompose. The testing of soil must be daily nice the peelings or eggshells will not decompose quickly. The watering of soil will also help the decomposition process of the fruit peelings and quail eggshells. Quail eggshells are the controlled variables since it is the one originally used. A chart or a notebook will be prepared for recording the observations.

Dam and Damn - Commonly Confused Words

Dam and Damn - Commonly Confused Words The words dam and damn are homophones: they sound the same but have different meanings.The noun dam refers to a barrier that holds back water. As a verb, dam means to hold back or confine. As a verb, damn means to criticize or to condemn as bad or inferior. As an interjection, damn is used to express anger, frustration, or disappointment. As an adjective, damn serves as a shorted form of damned. Examples Are you that little Dutch  boy with the finger in the dam trying to prevent the wall from coming down and the water from flooding your valley?  (Jeanette C. Morgan, The Voice That Must Be Heard. Tate, 2010)The Boers were unsuccessful in their efforts to dam up the Klip River in order to flood the town.Damn them, he cursed inwardly, years of bitter resentment welling up inside him. Damn them for laughing, damn the driver for swearing at him! Damn the whole town.(James Herbert, The Fog. Pan Macmillan, 1999) Practice The man could be concealing the fact that his stones were enchanted by black magic, helping to _____ the person who used them.  (Piers Anthony, On a Pale Horse. Del Rey Books, 1983)Waves were crashing against the _____ in front of us, and we were drenched by the wild spray.There was a treaty that said the Indians could always fish the falls. But the government wanted to build a _____ to generate electricity for the cities and store water for the farmers.  (Craig Lesley, Winterkill. Houghton Mifflin, 1984) Answers to Practice Exercises The man could be concealing the fact that his stones were enchanted by black magic, helping to  damn  the person who used them. (Piers Anthony,  On a Pale Horse.  Del Rey Books, 1983)Waves were crashing against the  dam  in front of us, and we were drenched by the wild spray.There was a treaty that said the Indians could always fish the falls. But the government wanted to build a  dam  to generate electricity for the cities and store water for the farmers.   (Craig Lesley,  Winterkill. Houghton Mifflin, 1984)

Pornography in a Contemporary Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pornography in a Contemporary Culture - Essay Example There are several reasons why it should be treated in such a way. To begin with, it would not be an exaggeration to suggest that many people use pornography as exhaust valve to release sexual tension. Indeed, such movies and clips are primarily targeted at lonely people who would like to experience intimacy, but they are currently not only to do so. In addition to that, it may help a person to deal with tension that may be built inside without any harm to other people around.Another point that should be mentioned that individual people or even couples might watch pornography in order to improve their sexual technique (Strossen 163). There is no doubt that the actors that are featured in such movies have mastered different aspects of this activity and are able to help those who struggle. Indeed, in this case pornography should be seen as a learning material that is watched privately. One can hardly object to the fact that healthy sexual relationship contribute to stability of romantic relationships. That is why to a certain extent such movie can reinforce a relationship.Finally, one should also note that in many countries pornography is a highly develop industry that occupies an important place in the social life. The amount of money that is generated by it is tremendous (Waskul 235). In addition to that, with the economic prosperity comes the quality of the material as well as safety for the actors. In other words, pornography should not be seen as some kind of illegal activity.

Manufacturing Operations Management (Logistics And Supply Chain Dissertation

Manufacturing Operations Management (Logistics And Supply Chain Management) - Dissertation Example Promanager analysis As pointed out in the article, Promanager faces a lot of problems. First, the company delivery system’s performance is poor and traditional. It fails to achieve customers’ delivery dates which frustrate the customers. As argued out by the Quinn (1986: PP 1-5), failure to deliver on time loses a substantial confidence and trust in product offered in the market. In this company, the product exhibits high levels of commonality and are similar in both aesthetic and performance attributes. It is argued that this firm’s the product look similar from outside and are confusing instead of exhibiting realistic and meaningful simple operating procedures. The products lack creativity and innovativeness has enabled their products to be inefficient and ineffective. This has led to dwindling of sales volume and subsequent squeeze of the market share. As the suggested in the article, the market has been flooded by the products of the Asian competitor implying that customers have shifted their loyalty from the firm’s products to the competitors’ making the company lose their customers, reputation and may lose jobs in the long run if the rate continues. There is a possibility from the report that the products are of poor technology. This has fuelled and oiled the competitors’ impetus in gaining the market share in the oil and gas industry. Second, there is a problem in the actual production process. Companies which have been in the market leader employ the customer-driven focus in their production processes. This corporation uses the batch production system based on the mass production with emphasis being given to marketing and other advertising strategies. There is a possibility of heavy operating costs that are incurred by the firm as a result of heavy and massive marketing and advertising campaigns. This is also expensive and unprofitable. As a result, it has led to fear of making bold investment by its executives in ventures such as product and market development. The company lacks a strategic approach in their course of management as evidenced. There is no evidence that the company undertakes strategic planning, no evidence of industry analysis having being carried out, there is distinct strategy that differentiates this firm from others in the same business. It can also be noted the company is on the bream line of perishing for lack of simple and operable policies, procedures and vision. The entrepreneurial culture in this company is null and void because there is no creativity and innovativeness in its operations, product outputs and service rendered to their customers. The firm also lacks a systematic and structured manufacturing and planning schedules. This is evidenced in the lack of accuracy and forecasts. This has led to mismatch between demand and supply of their product thereby resulting in failure to reach optimal results. This firm lacks strategic manufacturing plans, sound polic ies and actions plans that set in motion the policies to effect and assist the company leapfrog in sales, growth and profitability. In terms of human resource, there lacks motivation on part of employees especially the sales force. This is detrimental as it has led

The Pearl :: essays research papers

The Pearl By John Steinbeck   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The setting of the story was primarily in an impoverished Mexican-Indian community in La Paz, roughly around the 1900s.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Kino is a prime example of a developing character. From beginning to the end, he develops drastically. At the beginning, he was thought out to be a good loyal husband, but as time went on, he became a selfish, greedy individual who would do anything for money. Juana was Kino’s young wife. She was respectful, and very tolerant towards Kino. Coyotito was Kino and Juana’s only child. Juan Tomas was Kino’s brother, and Apolonia was his wife; both had four children, and very little is known about both of them. The doctor was a very stout, and greedy man, and didn’t heal, or treat his patients if they didn’t have money.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The conflict began when a scorpion stung Coyotito. He became very ill, and the doctor refused to cure Kino’s son for the reason that they had no money. On that very same day, Kino found the pearl that would change his life, as well as the people around him. The pearl brought great danger to Kino and his family. Everybody in the community knew about Kino’s finding, which resulted in everybody desiring the pearl.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ever since King Midas' lust for gold, it appears to be that man has acquired a greed and appetite for wealth. Kino, Juana, and the doctor have all undergone a change due to money. They’re all affected by their hunger for wealth and are the base for their own destruction, and the destruction of society. The theme of The Pearl is mainly of man's self-destruction through greed, and the hunger for wealth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are several different symbols in this story. The scorpion that stung Coyotito could simply mean the vulnerability and the possibility of danger that Kino and his family face ahead. The pearl may also symbolize evil, and how it brought the radical change in Kino and his wife.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The pearl was thought to be the stability and prosperity that Kino hoped for his family. However, there were also alternate feelings of jealousy and greed in the community. The pearl was intended to solve all of Kino’s problems, but it ended up destroying his life, dreams, and the death of his son.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Kino lived with his wife Juana, and his baby son Coyotito in a brush hut. Coyotito got stung by a scorpion, and got very ill.

Existentialism and Film Noir

Existentialism and Film Noir Existentialism and its worldview are believed to have derived from Nietzsche’s provocative and controversial statement â€Å"God is dead†. The underlying meaning to Nietzsche’s controversial statement is that empirical natural science has replaced metaphysical explanations of the world. As a result of this, according to Nietzsche we no longer have any sense of who and what we are as human beings.He concludes that no foundation exists anymore for the meaning and value of things. Nietzsche’s philosophy shines light on what film noir is. That is, an artistic response to, or recognition of, this alteration in our understanding of the world. To emphasize the existentialist attitude in film noir, various stylistic and thematic techniques are used.Common techniques or characteristics of film noir that we see in both The Maltese Falcon and The Killers include: unconventional or non-classical narrative patterns, opposition of light and shadow, disorientation of the viewer, incoherent plot lines, inversion of traditional values and its corresponding moral ambivalence, non-chronological ordering of events, and characters whose actions are not motivated or understandable in any rational way.The similarities of characteristics between existentialism and film noir are prominent; for example, Siodmak and Huston distinguish the alienation and disorientation of a post-Nietzschean world, one without transcendent meaning or value. The constant opposition of light and shadow as seen in The Maltese Falcon and The Killers, helps communicate the dark characteristics of a post-Nietzschean world. For instance, when the swede peacefully awaits his assassins, we get a sense of estrangement and lack of sense and meaning.This lack of sense and meaning is further emphasized when the room goes dark and you see him from the neck down in light, but the face is in total shadow. A sense of despair is created through this camera technique b y showing that no one else is in the room, leaving him hopeless to escape. A common characteristic of film noir that we see in both The Maltese Falcon, and The Killers, is the use of unconventional or non-classical narrative patterns. The use of non-classical narrative patterns emphasizes the cynical characteristics of a post-Nietzschean world.For instance, in The Maltese Falcon, Miss Ruth Wonderly initially claims to Spade and Archer to be searching for her sister, however her true intentions were to implicate Thursby her unwanted accomplice by killing Archer. Miss Ruth Wonderly’s contemptuous behavior coincides with the pessimistic view about the nature and purpose of human life. Non-classical patterns are established through various stylistic techniques. Such as the non-chronological ordering of events, often achieved through flashbacks. An example of this technique is seen in The Killers, when flashbacks are used to tell the story leading up to Ole Andersen’s death .The use of flashbacks and complicated sometimes-incoherent plot lines, as in The Maltese Falcon, are examples of the stylistic techniques that are used in film noir to communicate the mood and sensibility. A final common technique that is used in film noir is portraying characters whose actions are not motivated or understandable in any rational way. For example, why does Miss Wonderly lie about her name and objective in the beginning of The Maltese Falcon when she is sure to get caught at some point? By portraying the characters in this manner, Huston leaves the viewer with unanswered questions, leading to the disorientation of the viewer.It has been argued that film noir cannot be defined, therefore has no essential characteristics. That being said, considering noir as a response to the death of god helps explain the commonality of elements that philosophers have recognized in noir films. Moreover, the directors of The Maltese Falcon and The Killers use of thematic and stylistic characteristics in their films make them two of the best examples of film noir. They clearly depict a world of the post-Nietzschean period in their films, that is one of despair, alienation, and paranoia, which is essentially an existential attitude towards life.