This morning, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and Petris Center Director Dr. Richard Scheffler held a press conference to release a new report by the Petris Center. The report, entitled “Consolidation in California’s Health Care Market 2010-2016: Impact on Prices and ACA Premiums,” shows the rapid and considerable consolidation of hospital, physician, and health care insurance markets across the state. It provides evidence that these highly concentrated markets are associated with higher healthcare costs for consumers – including that healthcare prices can cost up to 30% more in Northern California than in Southern California, even after adjusting for the Bay Area’s higher cost of living and wages. During the press conference, Attorney General Becerra announced his office’s intentions to review the report closely and work with Dr. Scheffler and the Petris Center to probe deeper into the issue of healthcare market concentration in CA.
You can read the full Petris Center report here.
You can listen to the full audio of the press conference with Attorney General Becerra and Dr. Scheffler here.