title: An overview of economics.
abstract: Economics influences health care at every level. Part of that influence is the result of the interaction of buyers and sellers in markets. Another part is the interaction among aggregates of different markets, the government, and international actors. This article provides a short, non-technical introduction to basic theories of both micro and macro economics as a necessary precursor to the understanding of more complex theories and debates about the economics of health care.
authors.affiliation: Edmund S. Muskie School of Public Service, University of Southern Maine, Portland 04104, USA.
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Colgan
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Hartke
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D006801:Humans; D009787:Occupational Medicine / Q000191:economics*; D011050:Policy Making; D011216:Practice Management, Medical / Q000191:economics*; D014481:United States