ABSTRACT
In a larger context, the debate of equity versus efficiency has been around in economics (for example, Savoie and Irving, 1992; Krugman, 2013) and in economic geography (for example, Haveman, 1973; Meyer, 2008), and is also highly relevant in healthcare markets (for example, Light, 1992; Ubel et al., 2000; Bevan et al., 2010; Reidpath et al., 2012). Some argue that the value of equity is beyond this debate, and emphasize that equity is a matter of ethical obligation and needs to be recognized as rights to medical care (Fried, 1975).
