title: How do economic evaluations inform health policy decisions for treatment and prevention in Canada and the United States?
abstract: Canadian and US health systems have often been characterized as having vastly different approaches to the financing and delivery of healthcare, with Canada portrayed as more reliant on rationing based on costs. In this article, we examine the similarities and differences between the two countries, the evolution and current role of health economic evaluation, and the roles played by health economists. We suggest both countries have similarly used economic evaluation to a limited extent for drug and immunization decisions, with variability in use more of a reflection of the incompleteness of both systems and their inherent institutional barriers rather than political ideology.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Economics, 1200, 10405 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, AB, T5J 3N4, Canada, dhusereau@ihe.ca.
authors.forename: Don
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Husereau
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Culyer
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jacobs
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis / Q000379:methods; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000191:economics; D006291:Health Policy / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization / Q000191:economics; D011050:Policy Making; D011315:Preventive Medicine / Q000191:economics; D013812:Therapeutics / Q000191:economics; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States