Price discrimination in asymmetric Cournot oligopoly

In this article we examine the eects of third degree price discrimination in asymmetric Cournot oligopolies. We show that the average price is not affected by the extent of price discrimination. We nd that the asymmetry between firms is reflected only by the output produced for the lowest-valuation consumers and firms produce equal quantities to the other consumer groups.

Price discrimination in asymmetric Cournot oligopoly

In this article we examine the eects of third degree price discrimination in asymmetric Cournot oligopolies. We show that the average price is not affected by the extent of price discrimination. We nd that the asymmetry between firms is reflected only by the output produced for the lowest-valuation consumers and firms produce equal quantities to the other consumer groups.

A kompetitív piac közelítése sokszereplős Cournot-oligopóliumokkal

Mikroökonómia tankönyvekből és példatárakból ismert, hogy egy homogén termékű Cournot-oligopol piacon a termelők számának növelésével közelíthető a kompetitív piac. Az iskolapéldában lineáris keresleti görbét és állandó egységköltséget tételeznek fel. Az irodalomban több munka is foglalkozik az említett feltételek enyhítésével. Jelen dolgozatban egy új, egyszerű approximációs tételt igazolunk. Az első szakaszban áttekintjük a Cournot-oligopol játék egyensúlyának egzisztenciájára és a kompetitív piac Cournot-oligopóliumokkal történő approximálhatóságára vonatkozó eredményeket. Az egyensúly létezésével kapcsolatos eredményeket felhasználjuk a második szakaszban található approximációs tételünkhöz, amit aztán összevetünk az irodalomban található approximációs tételekkel.

Comparing cost-sharing practices for pharmaceuticals and health care services among four central European countries

The paper reviews the existing cost-sharing practices in four Central European countries namely the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia focusing on patient co-payments for pharmaceuticals and services covered by the social health insurance. The aim is to examine the role of cost-sharing arrangements and to evaluate them in terms of efficiency, equity and public acceptance to support policy making on patient payments in Central Europe. Our results suggest that the share of out-of-pocket payments in total health care expenditure is relatively high (24–27%) in the countries examined. The main driver of these payments is the expenditure on pharmaceuticals and medical devices, which share exceeds 70% of the household expenditure on health care. The four countries use similar cost-sharing techniques for pharmaceuticals, however there are differences concerning the measure of exemption mechanisms for vulnerable social groups. Patient payment policies for health care services covered by the social health insurance are also converging. All the four countries apply co-payments for dental care, some hotel services or in the case of free choice of physician. Also the countries (except for Poland) tried to extend co-payments for physician services and hospital care. However, their introduction met strong political opposition and unpopularity among public.