Chapter Five

"What you don't know can hurt you." In chapter five Wheelan describes how integral information and information distribution is to the economic field. Information distribution affects many aspects of life from profiling to health insurance to McDonalds. Before the reading I was unaware of the complex relationship between patients, doctors, and insurance companies when it comes to information and treatment. I am now aware of how important it is to figure out which outrageously expensive medical technologies are worth the cost and how to strike a balance where patients are receiving quality care without unnecessary costs and "false positives." Healthcare in the context of economics cannot be viewed in the same way as purchasing a television or a car. The medical field, dealing with the well being of humans, demands a more complex solution than maximizing income and minimizing costs.