Future Issues in Health Care. Social Policy and the Rationing of Medical Services.

Excerpt

One of the basic tenets of economics is that all resources are scarce. In the free-enterprise, capitalist economic system, resources are allocated by the equilibration of supply and demand. Resources (or goods and services) are rationed to those willing and able to meet the established market price. This market allows the orderly, unbiased allocation of scarce resources. With this short course in economics out of the way, we can now turn to Professor David Mechanic's book.

When the market does not work efficiently, as in health and medical care, rationing is accomplished by other means, usually by people, a somewhat