1. Health Economics and VA Hospitals BY: MATTHEW ROUSSEAU

2. Article & Synopsis ▪ http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/30/health/veterans-dying-health- care-delays/ http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/30/health/veterans-dying-health- care-delays/ ▪ Nearly 7,000 veterans have been on a backlog list at one time in Columbia, SC and Augusta, GA, leading to death and exacerbation of afflictions ▪ Family members and veterans themselves have received messages notifying them that delayed care may have caused adverse effects

3. Follow Up Article ▪ http://economistsview.typepad.com/economistsview/2006/08/v a_hospitals_vs.html ▪ Within 10 years, the number of veterans receiving treatment had doubled to 5.3 Million people ▪ 30 Billion dollar budget in 2006 ▪ High wait lists, but generally lower costs and higher patient satisfaction ratings than private hospitals.

4. Budget constraints ▪ The primary concern, long wait times, is unable to be remedied, due to the lack of funding from the US government.

5. Current Budget ▪ http://www.va.gov/budget/products.asp http://www.va.gov/budget/products.asp ▪ http://www.healthcareitnews.com/blog/va-waitlist-fiasco-vista- should-not-be-thrown-out-bathwater ▪ Despite the massive budget increase (up nearly five and a half times from the 2006 number), veterans experience high wait times. ▪ This suggests Market Failure due to a lack of synergy in the departments