Health Provider Networks, Quality and Costs
TILEC Discussion Paper No. 2015-003
CentER Discussion Paper No. 2015-005
38 Pages Posted: 27 Jan 2015
There are 3 versions of this paper
Health Provider Networks, Quality and Costs
Health Provider Networks, Quality and Costs
Health Provider Networks, Quality and Costs
Date Written: January 12, 2015
Abstract
We provide a modeling framework to think about selective contracting in the health care sector. Two health care providers differ in quality and costs. When buying health insurance, consumers observe neither provider quality nor costs. We derive an equilibrium where health insurers signal provider quality through their choice of provider network. Selective contracting focuses on low cost providers. Contracting both providers signals high quality. Market power tends to lower quality and lead to inefficiency. In a dynamic extension of the model, providers under-invest in quality while there can be both over and under-investment in cost reductions if there is a monopoly insurer while an efficient investment equilibrium exists with insurer competition.
Keywords: selective contracting, exclusive contracts, common contracts, managed care, health care quality, signaling
JEL Classification: D86, I11, L13
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation