An Economist's Perspective on Health Care in the United States

“Now, I have to tell you, it’s an unbelievably complex subject. Nobody knew health care could be so complicated.” President Trump, February 27, 2017. This talk will present why the provision of health care in any country is so complicated and how it is even more complicated in the United States, which has a very fragmented system and very high prices. We will also examine how average health outcomes in the U.S. lag behind those in peer countries. No knowledge of economics is assumed.