Includes bibliographical references and index.

Overview of the U.S. Healthcare System -- The Role of Economics -- The Competitive Market -- Noncompetitive Market Models and Market Failures -- The Role of Government -- The Demand for Health -- The Demand for Health Care -- The Market for Health Insurance -- Health Disparities -- Health Care Supply -- Health care Production and Costs -- The Healthcare Workforce Market -- Technology Transfer in Health Care -- Economic Evaluation Methods -- COVID -19 : An Evaluation of Emergency Preparedness -- Comparing Healthcare Systems -- International Health System Issues and Reforms -- U.S. National and State Healthcare Reforms -- Public Policy and Health Economics.

"Essentials of Health Economics studies the public health care system through the lens of economics. Provides a basic understanding of economic theory as it relates to the public health system and the delivery of health care in the U.S. Including numerous examples and profiles related to the field, it relays the importance and relevance of health economics as well as how it relates to more general analysis of health policy issues. Written with the non-specialist in mind, focusing on how to do descriptive, explanatory and evaluative economics in a systematic way"-- Provided by publisher.