This paper analyzes the choice of deductible in insurance contracts that insure against a risk that, as is common … risk-bearing costs, the optimal contract is one that uses an aggregate deductible that applies to the aggregate losses … disadvantages that aggregate deductibles have. Aggregate deductibles are shown to produce higher expected verification costs and …

internalities justify government action. I then turn to markets for medical care and health insurance. Virtually all governments … provide health insurance for some part of the population. Governments face several fundamental choices in this provision. The … at the expense of quality. A second choice is in the degree of cost sharing. More generous insurance reduces the utility …