The dominant theory in economics for centuries in the Western world has been the free market system, yet the ability of competitive markets to provide quality care has been a central point of recent debate. Extensive government regulation, though well-intentioned, adversely affects the overall health of Americans, inhibits medical innovation, and demands enormous tax-payer investment. The Initiative on Enabling Choice and Competition in Healthcare delivers cutting edge research on the efficiencies of competitiveness in the healthcare sector to demonstrate that free market forces can and do work to provide innovative, equitable, and high-quality care.
Our Vision
To be the leading university-based research center in free-market healthcare, promoting choice and competition to ensure greater access to existing care and new innovations.
Our Mission
To conduct evidence-based research and analyses on market-based choice and competition in the healthcare sector to lead to better-informed policy recommendations.
Working Papers
Policy Brief: The Share of Health Care Spending Growth Attributable to Rx
Prescription drugs have drawn significant policy and public attention in discussions of rising health care costs in the United States. However, their actual contribution to the growth of total health care spending remains uncertain. Drawing on data from the National...
Policy Brief: The Impact on Patient Health of Most-Favored-Nation Pricing of Already Marketed Drugs
This policy brief evaluates the potential impact of Most Favored Nation (MFN) pricing on pharmaceutical innovation and patient health. We analyze MFN pricing being imposed in Medicare and Medicaid, requiring U.S. prices for already launched drugs to match the lowest...
International Comparison for Drug Prescription Prices
This white paper is based on the Policy Brief: International Price Differences for Drug Prescriptions. The National Review also featured Professor Philipson's oped on the same topic. Many international drug price comparisons conclude that the U.S. has the highest...
Learn more about Operation Warp Speed:
In the Press
Rethinking What We Know About U.S. Drug Prices
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich recently cited our center’s study in his article on U.S. drug pricing, noting that the research “flips the...
Drugs Are Cheaper Here Than Abroad, and Other Countries Should Adopt Our Model
By Prof. Em. Tomas J. Philipson Not vice versa. Conventional wisdom holds that prices for prescription drugs paid by our government are...
We Saw the Gutting of Medicare a Mile Away | The Wall Street Journal | 08/14/2024
By Prof. Casey B. Mulligan and Em. Prof. Tomas J. Philipson Democrats don’t understand healthcare markets. We agree with your editorial “Biden Does...
2024 ECCHC Supply-Side Economics in Healthcare Conference – Watch Now!
The 2024 ECCHC Supply-side Economics in Healthcare Conference convened both in-person and virtually on Friday, May 3. Watch the full conference, or individual presentations and learn more about the conference here!