Groot W et al. - Cost-effectiveness studies are increasingly used to decide whether new medical technologies are valuable enough to merit reimbursement and inclusion in a standard package of medical services. From a welfare point of view insight in the value individuals attach to health and health improvements may be useful to determine the maximum acceptable cost per QALY for a medical intervention. The results suggest that the ultimate values of cost-effectiveness ratios used in some countries are lower than the value people attach to their health.
