DP15981 Increasing price transparency in the Dutch health care market does not affect provider choice
Author(s): | Maciej Husiatynski, Tobias Klein, Misja Mikkers |
Publication Date: | March 2021 |
Keyword(s): | healthcare demand, Price Transparency, provider choice |
JEL(s): | I11, I13 |
Programme Areas: | Industrial Organization |
Link to this Page: | cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=15981 |
Price transparency is often viewed as an effective way to encourage price shopping and thereby lower health care expenditure. Using individual claims data for 6 frequent, non-emergency dermatological procedures, we estimate the short-run effect of unexpected publication of prices by a major Dutch health insurer on spending and provider choice. Visits to the price transparency website surged, but spending, the likelihood to visit a new provider, distance traveled, and type of provider visited remained unaffected.