Health Economics is an important topic that affects all of us in society. Health care is a limited resource and decisions need to be made about how this is allocated. Most of us will have views on this subject, but many will not have a deep understanding of the economics involved. This is why health economics is not only a subject that is of interest to academics and health care administrators, but to anyone interested in the debate of how our health care resources should be divided. There have been plenty of books written on this subject and the following are just some of the best health economics books.
The Economics of Health and Health Care — 6th Edition – by Sherman Folland, Allen Goodman, and Miron Stano (2009)
This book is aimed at university students but there is good information here that will benefit the non-academic as well. This book examines all the basic ideas in health economics and readers should have a firm grasp of these by just following along with the text. This book is probably best as a launching pad to explore issues further with other texts; it is a good reference source though. It also supplements most of the theories with easy to understand examples from the real world.
Health Economics and Financing — 4th Edition — by Thomas E. Getzen (2010)
The information in this book is mostly aimed at health care professionals, but it can be used by anybody to learn more about this important topic. The information is presented in an easy to understand style and three is no expectation of previous knowledge about economics. It takes complex topics and simplifies them. This book would make an excellent introduction text for anyone interested in finding out more about health economics.
Health Economics: An International Perspective – 2nd Edition — by Barbara McPake and Charles Normand (2008)
If you are interested in the international aspect of health economics then this book will be a fine introduction to that. This book is very well written and the authors put a lot of effort into explaining why international health economics is important to all of us. This book is ideal for sparking debate and may have you wondering not only about the economical implications of international health care but also the ethical implications as well. Even though there are just over 300 pages in this book you do finish it feeling like you have a much better understanding of the subject.
Health Economics — 4th Edition — by Charles E. Phelps (2009)
This textbook is now often used in universities on many different courses related to health economics. This book covers all the most important subjects and goes quite deep into each. If you are only going to buy one health economics book ever then this would probably be the most useful one to have. Phelps presents this material in a very readable way and this is why this textbook might appeal to those with just a general interest in the subject.
Health Policy Issues: An Economic Perspective — 4th Edition — by Paul J. Feldstein (2007)
This is another book that was probably written with the health care professional in mind; although it will be of use to practically anyone. There is no previous knowledge of economics required to get the most from this book as everything is explained simply and clearly. This latest edition includes such things as the effect of modern technology like the internet on health economics. If you want to argue knowledgeably on any of the main health economic issues then you should be able to do so after reading this book.
