The U.S. Health Insurance Industry: An Alternative View

1978 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 491-507 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert Woodward
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Insurance ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Insurance Industry ◽  
Alternative View ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
The Great Depression ◽  
Price Leader ◽  
Health Insurance Industry ◽  
The U.S

The health insurance industry in the U.S. can be characterized as a concentrated industry. It has evolved into its current structure as a result of certain historical conditions, particularly those following the Great Depression. The structure of the industry has had an effect on the manner in which the industry functions and the cost increases in the health care sector. Specifically, the pricing mechanism is that of a price leader setting a limit price; health premium prices are higher than would be expected under a competitive structure. Regulation has been ineffective, because it has been dominated historically by health care providers and insurers. The costs of health care in general, and hospital care in particular, have increased beyond what would be expected as a result of “cost-pass-through.”

Most-Favored-Nation Clauses and Monopsonistic Power: An Unhealthy Mix?

1989 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-128
Author(s):  
Susan E. Stenger
Keyword(s):  
Health Insurance ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Price Discrimination ◽  
Insurance Industry ◽  
Insurance Market ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Most Favored Nation ◽  
Insurance Contracts ◽  
Health Insurance Market ◽  
Health Insurance Industry

Most-favored-nations clauses appear in health insurance contracts allegedly to prevent price discrimination by health care providers among competing insurers. In fact, use of these provisions often works to exclude competitors from the health insurance market. This Note examines the antitrust implications of most-favored-nations clauses as used in the health insurance industry.

scholarly journals Household preferences and willingness to pay for health insurance in Kampala City: a discrete choice experiment

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward Kalyango ◽  
Rornald Muhumuza Kananura ◽  
Elizabeth Ekirapa Kiracho
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Insurance ◽  
Willingness To Pay ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Public Health Care ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Kampala City ◽  
Household Preferences

Abstract Introduction Uganda is in discussions to introduce a national health insurance scheme. However, there is a paucity of information on household preferences and willingness to pay for health insurance attributes that may guide the design of an acceptable health insurance scheme. Our study sought to assess household preferences and willingness to pay for health insurance in Kampala city using a discrete choice experiment. Methods This study was conducted from 16th February 2020 to 10th April 2020 on 240 households in the Kawempe division of Kampala city stratified into slum and non-slum communities in order to get a representative sample of the area. We purposively selected the communities that represented slum and non-slum communities and thereafter applied systematic sampling in the selection of the households that participated in the study from each of the communities. Four household and policy-relevant attributes were used in the experimental design of the study. Each respondent attended to 9 binary choice sets of health insurance plans that included one fixed choice set. Data were analyzed using mixed logit models. Results Households in both the non-slum and slum communities had a high preference for health insurance plans that included both private and public health care providers as compared to plans that included public health care providers only (non-slum coefficient β = 0.81, P < 0.05; slum β = 0.87, p < 0.05) and; health insurance plans that covered extended family members as compared to plans that had limitations on the number of family members allowed (non-slum β = 0.44, P < 0.05; slum β = 0.36, p < 0.05). Households in non-slum communities, in particular, had a high preference for health insurance plans that covered chronic illnesses and major surgeries to other plans (0.97 β, P < 0.05). Our findings suggest that location of the household influences willingness to pay with households from non-slum communities willing to pay more for the preferred attributes. Conclusion Potential health insurance schemes should consider including both private and public health care providers and allow more household members to be enrolled in both slum and non-slum communities. However, the inclusion of more HH members should be weighed against the possible depletion of resources and other attributes. Potential health insurance schemes should also prioritize coverage for chronic illnesses and major surgeries in non-slum communities, in particular, to make the scheme attractive and acceptable for these communities.

Umowy o udzielanie świadczeń opieki zdrowotnej zawierane przez Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia (leczenie w ramach ubezpieczenia zdrowotnego) a leczenie na zasadach komercyjnych. Implikacje prawne i praktyczne

2021 ◽  
pp. 141-151
Author(s):  
Paweł Lipowski
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Insurance ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Legal Status ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Public Payer ◽  
Universal Health

The aim of this study is to identify the legal characteristics of contracts for the health care services provided by a public payer, i.e. the National Health Fund (NFZ) as part of treatment covered by universal health insurance, as compared to those provided by the health care providers with public or private legal status. This issue is discussed in relation to the legal conditions for the treatment of patients on a commercial basis in those institutions (private or public) which have contracts for the provision of healthcare services under the general health insurance (so-called contracts). The discussion is presented based on author’s own observations, resulting both from his scientific studies in the field of medical law and his work in various entities operating in the health care system.

scholarly journals Methemoglobinemia Associated with Metoclopramide Therapy in a Neonate

2004 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-54
Author(s):  
Kristine G. Palmer ◽  
Laura P. James
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Gastroesophageal Reflux ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Side Effect ◽  
Pediatric Patients ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Young Infants ◽  
Age Appropriate ◽  
The U.S

With the removal of cisapride from the U.S. market, practitioners have increasingly used other medications, such as metoclopramide, to treat gastroesophageal reflux in pediatric patients. We describe the case of a neonate who developed methemoglobinemia after receiving metoclopramide at doses slightly above the recommended age-appropriate dosage. Health care providers should be aware of this potentially serious side effect in young infants who receive this medication.

scholarly journals Impact of Health Insurance on Health Care Utilisation and Out-of-Pocket Health Expenditure in Vietnam

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Nguyen Thi Thu Thuong ◽  
Tran Quang Huy ◽  
Do Anh Tai ◽  
Tran Nhuan Kien
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Insurance ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Health Care Utilisation ◽  
Health Coverage ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Care Utilisation ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Number Of Visits ◽  
Universal Health

Background. In recent years, health insurance (HI) has been chosen by many low- and middle-income countries to obtain an important health policy target—universal health coverage. Vietnam has recently introduced the Revised Health Insurance Law, and the effects of the voluntary health insurance (VHI) and heavily subsidised health insurance (HSHI) programmes have not yet been analysed. Therefore, this study is aimed at examining the impact of these HI programmes on the utilisation of health care services and out-of-pocket health expenditure (OOP) in general and across different health care providers in particular. Methods. Using the two waves of Vietnam Household Living Standard Surveys 2014 and 2016 and the difference-in-difference method, the impacts of VHI and HSHI on health care utilisation and OOP in Vietnam were estimated. Results. For both the VHI and HSHI groups, we found that HI increased the probability of seeking outpatient care, the mean number of outpatient visits, the total number of visits, and the mean number of visits at the district level of health care providers in the last 12 months. However, there was no evidence that the HSHI programmes increased the mean number of inpatient visits and the number of visits at the provincial hospital. We also found that while the VHI programme reduced OOP for both outpatient and inpatient care, the HSHI scheme did not result in a reduction in OOP for hospitalisation, although HI lowered the total OOP. Similarly, we found that for both groups, HI reduced OOP when the insured visited district and provincial hospitals. However, the statistically significant impact was not demonstrated when the enrolees of HSHI programmes visited provincial hospitals. Conclusion. The study offers evidence that the Vietnamese HI scheme increased health care service utilisation and decreased OOP for the participants of the VHI and HSHI programmes. Therefore, the government should continue to consider improving the HI system as a strategy to achieve universal health coverage.

The Industrial Organization of Health-Care Markets

2015 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 235-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Gaynor ◽  
Kate Ho ◽  
Robert J. Town
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Industrial Organization ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Affordable Care Act ◽  
Health Care Spending ◽  
Health Care Markets ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Patient Protection ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The U.S

The U.S. health-care sector is large and growing—health-care spending in 2011 amounted to $2.7 trillion and 18 percent of GDP. Approximately half of health-care output is allocated via markets. In this paper, we analyze the industrial organization literature on health-care markets, focusing on the impact of competition on price, quality, and treatment decisions for health-care providers and health insurers. We conclude with a discussion of research opportunities for industrial organization economists, including opportunities created by the U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. (JEL J15, J24, J71, J81, K31)

scholarly journals PHP19 Increased Market Share of Private, For-Profit Health Care Providers From the Hungarian Health Insurance Budget Between 2006-2009

2011 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
pp. A552
Author(s):  
I. Boncz ◽  
D. Endrei ◽  
B. Molics ◽  
I. Ágoston ◽  
K. Turcsanyi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Insurance ◽  
Market Share ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
For Profit
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