Willingness To Pay in an Equitable Society: The Case of the Kibbutz

Measuring the benefits of health and life‐saving programmes is a difficult and problematic task. Nevertheless, if one wants to compare the costs and benefits of a programme using cost‐benefit analysis methodology the value of life extension and improved quality of life ought to be expressed in monetary terms. The willingness‐to‐pay approach can serve as a tool to deal practically with this task. Over the years considerable criticism of the reliability and validity of this method has appeared in the literature (for example, ). In spite of the vast criticism it seems that “methods for measuring willingness to pay are being strengthened and may soon play an important role in health services research”.