Let's add a little economics to health care economics

Veronique de Rugy: Economists have shown that if a good’s price is zero or decreasing, then the demand for this good will likely increase. In 2008, consumers were only directly responsible for 11.9 percent of total national healthcare expenditures, down from 43 percent in 1965, according to new data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This means that someone other than consumers pays roughly 88 percent of all healthcare costs, giving consumers little incentive to mind costs and much incentive to over-consume

Economics Department Spring 2009 Seminars

Each academic year, the Economics Department at Suffolk University hosts several seminars featuring the work of faculty, students and visiting scholars. The seminars usually take place in the large conference room on the sixth floor of 1 Bowdoin Square in Boston and typically run from 1:05 p.m. to 2:20 p.m.

The schedule, which is expected to expand over the course of the semester, lines up as follows:

Thursday, Jan 22
Henry Kim
"Fiscal Policies in DSGE Models"

Thursday, Feb 19
Randall Holcombe (Florida State University)
Topic: Public Choice

Tuesday, Feb 24 C
Cagdas Sirin
"A Double Hurdle Model: Workplace Restriction, Prices,
Income Level and the Demand for Cigarettes"

For samples of past seminar topics visit the Economics Department's news page.

Panel Discussion Video

I am proud to present the the October 21st Panel Discussion on the Federal Financial Bailout co-hosted by BHI video!

It is in .mov format, so Quicktime is required.

Moderated by Professor Haughton, the panel discusses different economic aspects of the current financial crisis, including who is to blame, details of the "Bailout Bill" and the roots of the crisis.

Panelists included:

Lynn E. Browne, Executive Vice President, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
Kevin M. Cuff, Executive Director, Massachusetts Mortgage Bankers Association
Henry Kim, Associate Professor of Economics, Suffolk University
Jeffrey Miron, Senior Lecturer in Economics and Director of Undergraduate Studies, Harvard University

Running time is about 90 min.

Suffolk panel discussion on the federal financial bailout

BOSTON – (October 13, 2008) – To better explain the policy implications of the $700 billion bailout passed recently by Congress, the Department of Economics at Suffolk University will host a panel discussion, titled “The Current Economic Crisis: How Did We Get Here? Where Are We Headed?"

The discussion will take place on Tuesday, October 21 at 1 pm at the C. Walsh Theatre, Suffolk University, 55 Temple Street, Boston.

Confirmed panelists include:

Lynn E. Browne, Executive Vice President, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
Kevin M. Cuff, Executive Director, Massachusetts Mortgage Bankers Association
Henry Kim, Associate Professor of Economics, Suffolk University
Jeffrey Miron, Senior Lecturer in Economics and Director of Undergraduate Studies, Harvard University

The hour-long discussion will be moderated by Jonathan Haughton, Professor of Economics, Suffolk University and will be followed by questions from the audience.

The themes to be addressed by the panel include:

•The institutional roots of the crisis: How much is Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to blame? What about the Community Reinvestment Act? What about the concern over redlining?
•The economic roots of the crisis: What role did securitization play? Mark to market? The subprime lending craze? The housing bubble? Lack of oversight and regulation?
•The extent and depth of the crisis: Have we reached a bottom? When will we reach a bottom? What are the prospects for a long recession?
•The virtues (or evils) of the bailout: Did we need it? Will it do more harm than good?
•The outlook in the light of the current election season: What will the next administration do?

For more information contact:
Frank Conte, Director of Communications, Beacon Hill Institute, 617-573-8050
fconte@beaconhill.org.