Health Plan Conversions: Are They in the Public Interest?

63 Pages Posted: 5 Dec 2003 Last revised: 4 Sep 2022

See all articles by Nancy Dean Beaulieu

Nancy Dean Beaulieu

HBS Negotiations, Organizations and Markets Unit; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Date Written: December 2003

Abstract

Recently, not-for-profit health plans have been converting to for-profit status and these conversions have frequently occurred as steps to facilitate merger or acquisition with a for-profit company. Some industry observers attribute these managed care market place trends to an industry shake out resulting from increased competition in the sector. At the same time, the perceived competitive pressures have led to questions about the long run viability of non-profit health plans. Furthermore, some industry and government leaders believe that some non-profits are already conducting themselves like for-profit health plans and question the state premium tax exemption ordinarily accorded to such plans. This paper develops a framework for evaluating health plan conversions and examines related health policy issues through the lens of a case study of the proposed conversion of the CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield Company. Analyses demonstrate that CareFirst wields substantial market power in some segments of its local market, that it is unlikely to realize cost savings through expanded economies of scale, and that quality of care appears to be lower in the plans typically acquiring converting health plans.

Suggested Citation

Beaulieu, Nancy D., Health Plan Conversions: Are They in the Public Interest? (December 2003). NBER Working Paper No. w10127, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=476084

Nancy D. Beaulieu (Contact Author)

HBS Negotiations, Organizations and Markets Unit ( email )

Soldiers Field
Boston, MA 02163
United States

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?

Paper statistics

Downloads
42
Abstract Views
1,029
PlumX Metrics