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The public health director of a remote, rural area in northern Ontario has a discretionary budget of $500,000 and wants to spend it to save as many lives from obesity-related diseases as possible

Economics Nov 07, 2020

The public health director of a remote, rural area in northern Ontario has a discretionary budget of $500,000 and wants to spend it to save as many lives from obesity-related diseases as possible. Two of the possible approaches being considered include: Prevention (through informative health campaigns on the adverse effects of junk food consumption) and a price subsidy on healthier food choices (making these foods more affordable). Medical studies indicate the following results for the two alternatives: Prevention Price Subsidy Cost Cost Total Lives Saved Total Lives Saved $100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000 500,000 300 500 650 760 800 $100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000 500,000 100 275 325 350 360 Suppose the value of a life is worth $1 million. 23. The most cost-effective way of allocating the $500,000 budget is to spend it entirely on prevention. 24. If $500,000 of the budget was initially allocated for prevention but then $100,000 of that was reallocated to the price subsidy, then the net benefit of that marginal change would be $60 million.

Expert Solution

Answer 23.

To check which is the most cost-effective way of allocation the $ 500,000 budget, we can analyze the different combination of prevention cost, and price subsidy in the following manner:

Prevention cost

Price Subsidy

Total Lives saved

Benefit

$500,000

0

800

$800 million

$400,000

$100,000

760+100=860

$860 million

$300,000

$200,000

650+275=925

$925 million*

$200,000

$30,0000

500+325=825

$825 million

$100,000

$400,000

300+350=650

$650 million

0

$500,000

360

$360 million

*most cost-effective method.

From the table, it is clear that the budget allocation of $500,000 for prevention is not the best cost-effective because other combinations of prevention and price subsidy save more lives and give more benefits.

It is clear that the $300,000 allocation for prevention, and a $200,000 price subsidy is the most cost-effective of allocating the $500,000 budget. Hence, the given statement is False.

Answer 24.

When $500,000 is allocated for prevention, total saved lives=800. Hence, total benefit=$800 million.

But, when $100,000 is allocated to price subsidy and $400,000 to prevention, total saved lives= 100+760=860. Hence, total benefit=$860 million.

So, change in marginal benefit=$860 million-$800 million= $60 million.

Hence, the given statement is True.

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