What is a commonly cited WTP threshold in the lecture?

• A. $100,000 per QALY
• B. $20,000 per QALY
• C. $50,000 per QALY
• D. $150,000 per QALY

Answer: (C)

When evaluating value for money in health care, decisions hinge on a willingness-to-pay per QALY threshold: if the added cost per extra quality-adjusted life year is below that threshold, the intervention is considered cost-effective. The figure most commonly cited in the lecture is fifty thousand dollars per QALY. This historic benchmark has served as a simple, widely-recognized standard in cost-effectiveness analysis, giving analysts a quick rule of thumb to compare incremental costs against the health gains.

Keep in mind that thresholds aren’t fixed rules—they reflect budgeting, societal values, and inflation over time. Some analyses or guidelines reference higher ranges (for example, up to one hundred thousand or even one hundred fifty thousand per QALY), but the lecture focus you’re studying uses fifty thousand as the standard reference. This helps you interpret ICERs consistently: an ICER below fifty thousand per QALY is generally deemed cost-effective under that traditional standard.