The Commonwealth Fund published briefs on the Petris Center’s new market concentration research. These briefs provide a summary and synthesis of the Petris research published in the September issue of Health Affairs.
“Insurer Market Power Lowers Prices in Numerous Concentrated Provider Markets” highlights Drs. Scheffler and Arnold’s Health Affairs paper of the same name and identifies the essential bottom line of their work: in markets with high provider and insurer concentration, insurers have bargaining power to reduce prices – however, these price reductions likely will not lead to lower insurance premiums for consumers without additional government intervention or a more active role of large purchasers of health care.
“Health Care Market Concentration Trends in the United States: Evidence and Policy Responses” highlights Dr. Fulton’s article of the same name, identifying his research’s bottom line: as market concentration in the health care system accelerates, more consumers and employers across most of the country are left with higher prices and fewer choices – regulators can take steps to scrutinize and restrict anticompetitive behavior.