Do For-Profit Insurers Charge Higher Premiums? Leemore Dafny Northwestern University and NBER
نویسنده
چکیده
For-profit insurers account for half of private health insurance in the U.S., notwithstanding concerns that they deliver lower-quality, higher-priced policies. We explore the relationship between ownership and employer-sponsored insurance premiums, medical loss ratios, and uninsurance rates. Using a national panel dataset encompassing ~10 million lives per year, we study the effects of conversions of Blue Cross and Blue Shield affiliates in 11 states. Conversions have no impact on premiums on average, but in markets where the converting affiliate commanded substantial market share, both the BCBS affiliate and its rivals increased premiums after conversion. Our results suggest that subsidies for not-for-profit insurers, such as those in the Affordable Care Act, will only create value under certain market conditions.
منابع مشابه
Does it Matter if Your Health Insurer is For-Profit? Effects of Ownership on Premiums, Insurance Coverage, and Medical Spending Leemore Dafny Northwestern University and NBER
For-profit insurers account for half of private health insurance in the U.S., notwithstanding concerns about the quality and price of their policies. Using a national panel dataset from 1997-2009 encompassing ~10 million employer-insured lives per year, we study the effects of conversions of Blue Cross and Blue Shield affiliates in 11 states (and 28 distinct geographic markets) on employer-spon...
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