Using the Information in the Table Below, When Will Payback

question 24

Multiple Choice

Using the information in the table below, when will payback occur? To justify the purchase of a new release of information tracking system, Health Information Management Services (HIMS) wants to calculate the new system's payback period. The cost to operate the current system is $25,000 per year. The proposed cost of the new system for the first year is $35,000 with continuing operation costs per year of $15,000. An increase of $10,000 per year in billing is anticipated with the new system because of the addition of a billing component to the release of information tracking functionality. Data are summarized in the following table:
$$\begin{array} { | l | c | c | c | c | } \hline & \text { Year 1 } & \text { Year 2 } & \text { Year 3 } & \text { Year 4 } \\\hline \text { Curent systern cost } & \$ 25,000 & \$ 25,000 & \$ 25,000 & \$ 25,000 \\\hline \text { New 5ystern cost } & \$ 35,000 & \$ 15,000 & \$ 15,000 & \$ 15,000 \\\hline \text { Yearly difference in cost } & - \$ 10,000 & + \$ 10,000 & + \$ 10,000 & + \$ 10,000 \\\hline \begin{array} { l } \text { Curmulative differences } \\\text { in costs }\end{array} & & & & \\\hline\end{array}$$

• A) First year
• B) Second year
• C) Third year
• D) Fourth year

---

Definitions:

Forever

A term indicating an infinite or unspecified period of time, often used in the context of time without end.

Average Total Cost

The cost per unit of output, calculated by dividing the total cost by the quantity of output produced.

Natural Monopoly

A market condition where a single firm can supply a good or service to an entire market at a lower cost than could two or more firms.

Natural Monopoly

A market structure where a single supplier is most efficient in providing goods or services due to high fixed or startup costs.