Today, Health Affairs published a new blog by Petris Center director Dr. Scheffler, entitled “When Markets Are Heavily Concentrated, Managed Competition Cannot Work: Lessons From California.” The blog is a response to Dr. Alain Enthoven, who writes that we should have “market control” and not “political control” of our health system. It discusses how high levels of hospital and physician market concentration in California have prevented competition from happening in many counties and have increased prices for consumers – meaning competition alone is unlike to work to make coverage and care accessible and affordable in California. Dr. Scheffler ends by calling for governments and markets to work together, such as Covered California, or an even bolder approach, like a single-payer plan.
You can read the full blog on Health Affairs‘ website here.