American Economic Association: Recent research by Mariana Carrera, assistant professor of economics, shows that physicians will prescribe less expensive medications for lower-income people if there’s a generic option available. “In our healthcare system, there’s more attention on encouraging patients and doctors to make cost-effective decisions,” she said. “The irony is that it requires heroic effort on the part of consumer and doctor to try to figure out the cost of service or treatment options before they are actually performed.”
