ESTIMATING MARGINAL RETURNS TO MEDICAL CARE: EVIDENCE FROM AT-RISK NEWBORNS.

The Quarterly Journal of Economics
Douglas AlmondHeidi Williams

Abstract

A key policy question is whether the benefits of additional medical expenditures exceed their costs. We propose a new approach for estimating marginal returns to medical spending based on variation in medical inputs generated by diagnostic thresholds. Specifically, we combine regression discontinuity estimates that compare health outcomes and medical treatment provision for newborns on either side of the very low birth weight threshold at 1500 grams. First, using data on the census of US births in available years from 1983-2002, we find that newborns with birth weights just below 1500 grams have lower one-year mortality rates than do newborns with birth weights just above this cutoff, even though mortality risk tends to decrease with birth weight. One-year mortality falls by approximately one percentage point as birth weight crosses 1500 grams from above, which is large relative to mean infant mortality of 5.5% just above 1500 grams. Second, using hospital discharge records for births in five states in available years from 1991-2006, we find that newborns with birth weights just below 1500 grams have discontinuously higher charges and frequencies of specific medical inputs. Hospital costs increase by approximately $4,000 as bir...Continue Reading

Citations

Jan 19, 2012·The Quarterly Journal of Economics·Alan I BarrecaGlen R Waddell
May 21, 2011·The Journal of Economic Perspectives : a Journal of the American Economic Association·Amitabh ChandraJonathan S Skinner
May 21, 2014·American Journal of Preventive Medicine·Betty BekemeierDavid E Grembowski
Nov 28, 2012·Journal of Public Economics·Jonathan T Kolstad, Amanda E Kowalski
Sep 29, 2011·The Journal of Political Economy·Amalia R Miller, Catherine E Tucker
Dec 19, 2015·Journal of Development Economics·Susan Godlonton, Edward N Okeke
Jun 27, 2015·Journal of Health Economics·Hendrik Jürges, Juliane Köberlein
Mar 16, 2016·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Douglas AlmondAmy Ellen Schwartz
Jun 30, 2014·Journal of Health Economics·Jason M Hockenberry, Lorens A Helmchen
Aug 5, 2015·American Economic Journal. Economic Policy·Achyuta Adhvaryu, Anant Nyshadham
Apr 9, 2014·Journal of Health Economics·Hitoshi Shigeoka, Kiyohide Fushimi
Mar 18, 2015·Health Policy·Peter C RockersTill Bärnighausen
Sep 3, 2014·Journal of Health Economics·Vibeke Myrup Jensen, Miriam Wüst
May 15, 2013·Neonatal Network : NN·Raquel Pasarón
May 10, 2016·American Economic Journal. Economic Policy·Alice ChenHeidi Williams
Apr 4, 2017·Journal of Clinical Epidemiology·Pascal Geldsetzer, Wafaie Fawzi
Nov 4, 2017·Health Economics·Julien ForderJuliette Malley
Jan 20, 2018·Health Services Research·Jostein GryttenAnne Eskild
Nov 11, 2018·Archives of Disease in Childhood·Stavros PetrouJoseph Kwon
Jul 3, 2020·JAMA : the Journal of the American Medical Association·Matthew L Maciejewski, Anirban Basu
Mar 27, 2020·Clinical and Experimental Nephrology·Junichi Hoshino
Jul 3, 2020·Journal of Policy Analysis and Management : [the Journal of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management]·Rebecca M MyersonDarius N Lakdawalla
Dec 13, 2016·American Economic Journal. Economic Policy·Seth Freedman
Dec 20, 2020·Journal of Health Economics·Jonas MaibomMiriam Wüst
Mar 14, 2020·Deutsches Ärzteblatt International·Emilio A L GianicoloMaria Blettner
Feb 7, 2020·Economics and Human Biology·Ylenia Brilli, Brandon J Restrepo
Jul 1, 2021·The New England Journal of Medicine·Patrick TurleyPeter M Visscher

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.

Related Papers

The Rand Journal of Economics
David M CutlerJoseph P Newhouse
Health Affairs
Michael E ChernewA Mark Fendrick
JAMA : the Journal of the American Medical Association
J C Robinson, H S Luft
© 2021 Meta ULC. All rights reserved