Felder, Stefan; Werblow, Andreas:
The marginal cost of saving a life in health care: age, gender and regional differences in Switzerland
In: Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics, Jg. 145 (2009), Heft 2, S. 137 - 153
2009Artikel/Aufsatz in Zeitschrift
Wirtschaftswissenschaften
Titel:
The marginal cost of saving a life in health care: age, gender and regional differences in Switzerland
Autor*in:
Felder, StefanUDE
LSF ID
49726
Sonstiges
der Hochschule zugeordnete*r Autor*in
;
Werblow, Andreas
Erscheinungsjahr:
2009

Abstract:

This paper estimates the marginal cost of saving a life using age- and genderspecific health care expenditures and mortality rates of the 26 Swiss cantons for the period 1997 to 2006. It shows almost triple the marginal cost of saving a life for women as compared to men, reflecting a lower marginal elasticity of medical inputs, a lower mortality rate and higher spending on health care for women. Medical technology does not differ across cantons while the marginal cost of saving a life does. Wealthy cantons spend more on saving a life at the margin and show a smaller gender gap in longevity.