Marginal cost per QALY estimates: What are they good for?

Christopher Sampson and Graham Cookson

Health Policy, 2024, vol. 142, issue C

Abstract: Estimates of the marginal cost per quality-adjusted life year (MCPQ) are available for health care systems worldwide. Researchers routinely make claims about these estimates and how they should inform policymaking. This commentary considers these claims by taking a recent article from Health Policy as a case study. Claims are made about the past performance of the health service and about future decisions and relate to such considerations as productivity, the impact of technology approvals, cost-effectiveness thresholds, and budget allocation. We argue that the evidence does not justify these claims and MCPQ estimates should instead inform questions about the consequences of changes in expenditure.

Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:hepoli:v:142:y:2024:i:c:s0168851024000460

DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2024.105036

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