The willingness to pay for wait reduction: the disutility of queues for cataract surgery in Canada, Denmark, and Spain

We estimate demand curves for a one month reduction in waiting time for cataract surgery based on survey data collected in 1992 in Manitoba, Barcelona,;md Denmark. Patients answered, "Would you be willing to pay (Bid, B) to reduce your waiting time for cataract surgery to less than one month?" Controlling for SES and visual status, Barcelonan patients have greater WTP for shortened waiting time than the Domes and Manitobans. We estimate the value (in 1992 $) of lost consumer surplus due to the cataract surgery queue at $128 per patient in Manitoba, $160 in Denmark, and $243 in Barcelona. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.