Existing literature on hospital pricing and price variation is split on whether price differentials in hospital billing are demand or supply led. To harmonize this literature, we use data from the Medicare Hospital Compare website to evaluate the interaction between demand and supply factors that influence hospital pricing structure. We use consumers’ net willingness-to-pay (net WTP) as the dependent variable to analyze how providers exploit factors that enable a provider to charge high prices to consumers. We find that high prices are reflective of the perceived quality but find no relationship with the actual quality of care. In line with previous literature, our analysis shows no evidence of cross- subsidization between inpatient DRGs. However, we find no interaction of factors that could adequately explain the full extent of observed variation in provider prices. We conclude that the question, “Should I buy here or keep driving?” is complex and cannot be answered by a simple analysis of which healthcare provider is cheaper.
In this thesis, I explore some of the issues surrounding the public education system in South Africa. South Africa spends a large amount of their GDP on their education sector but still fail to see positive results. Through a meta-analysis of the research done on the South African education system, I explore what I think are the main issues in education. I found that that race, socioeconomic status, poor teacher quality and lack of service delivery are still large issues within the education system. I conclude by providing policy suggestions on how the South African government could address some of these issues.
This paper investigates the influence of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s basketball and football scandals on the quantity and quality of collegiate applicants. Athletic, academic, and socioeconomic data from the past 16 years are used to examine the immediate and lasting effects of an athletic scandal. The occurrence of a football or basketball scandal increased both the quantity and quality of applicants.
