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Reexamining Geographic Variation in Health and Health Care

Author

Listed:
  • Amy Finkelstein
  • Matthew Gentzkow

Abstract

A large literature has documented widespread variation in health care spending per capita across areas of the United States without correspondingly better health outcomes. Recent work has used "mover designs" to estimate the causal impact of place on both health care spending and mortality. In this paper, we investigate whether places that increase health care spending also tend to be places that increase health. We find that they do not and discuss the implications.

Suggested Citation

  • Amy Finkelstein & Matthew Gentzkow, 2026. "Reexamining Geographic Variation in Health and Health Care," AEA Papers and Proceedings, American Economic Association, vol. 116, pages 138-143, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:apandp:v:116:y:2026:p:138-143
    DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20261072
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I13 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Insurance, Public and Private
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination

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