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Effects of regulated competition on key outcomes of care: Cataract surgeries in the Netherlands

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  • Heijink, Richard
  • Mosca, Ilaria
  • Westert, Gert

Abstract

Similar to several other countries, the Netherlands implemented market-oriented health care reforms in recent years. Previous studies raised questions on the effects of these reforms on key outcomes such as quality, costs, and prices. The empirical evidence is up to now mixed. This study looked at the variation in prices, volume, and quality of cataract surgeries since the introduction of price competition in 2006. We found no price convergence over time and constant price differences between hospitals. Quality indicators generally showed positive results in cataract care, though the quality and scope of the indicators was suboptimal at this stage. Furthermore, we found limited between-hospital variation in quality and there was no clear-cut relation between prices and quality. Volume of cataract care strongly increased in the period studied. These findings indicate that health insurers may not have been able to drive prices down, make trade-offs between price and quality, and selectively contract health care without usable quality information. Positive results coming out from the 2006 reform should not be taken for granted. Looking forward, future research on similar topics and with newer data should clarify the extent to which these findings can be generalized.

Suggested Citation

  • Heijink, Richard & Mosca, Ilaria & Westert, Gert, 2013. "Effects of regulated competition on key outcomes of care: Cataract surgeries in the Netherlands," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(1), pages 142-150.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:hepoli:v:113:y:2013:i:1:p:142-150
    DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2013.06.003
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    Cited by:

    1. Rudy Douven & Monique Burger & Erik Schut, 2018. "Does managed competition constrain hospitals’ contract prices? Evidence from the Netherlands," CPB Discussion Paper 378, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    2. Suzanne Ruwaard & Rudy Douven, 2014. "Quality and hospital choice for cataract treatments: the winner takes most," CPB Discussion Paper 272, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    3. Siciliani, Luigi & Chalkley, Martin & Gravelle, Hugh, 2017. "Policies towards hospital and GP competition in five European countries," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 121(2), pages 103-110.
    4. Westra, Daan & Angeli, Federica & Carree, Martin & Ruwaard, Dirk, 2017. "Understanding competition between healthcare providers: Introducing an intermediary inter-organizational perspective," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 121(2), pages 149-157.
    5. R. R. Croes & Y. J. F. M. Krabbe-Alkemade & M. C. Mikkers, 2018. "Competition and quality indicators in the health care sector: empirical evidence from the Dutch hospital sector," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 19(1), pages 5-19, January.
    6. Anne-Fleur Roos & Eddy van Doorslaer & Owen O'Donnell & Erik Schut & Marco Varkevisser, 2018. "Does price competition damage healthcare quality?," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 18-040/V, Tinbergen Institute.
    7. Rudy Douven & Monique Burger & Erik Schut, 2018. "Does managed competition constrain hospitals’ contract prices? Evidence from the Netherlands," CPB Discussion Paper 378.rdf, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    8. Chiara Brouns & Rudy Douven & Ron Kemp, 2021. "Prices and market power in mental health care: Evidence from a major policy change in the Netherlands," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(4), pages 803-819, April.
    9. Dohmen, Peter J.G. & van Raaij, Erik M., 2019. "A new approach to preferred provider selection in health care," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(3), pages 300-305.
    10. Roos, Anne-Fleur & O’Donnell, Owen & Schut, Frederik T. & Van Doorslaer, Eddy & Van Gestel, Raf & Varkevisser, Marco, 2020. "Does price deregulation in a competitive hospital market damage quality?," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    11. Schut, Frederik T. & Varkevisser, Marco, 2017. "Competition policy for health care provision in the Netherlands," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 121(2), pages 126-133.
    12. Chiara Brouns & Rudy Douven & Ron Kemp, 2021. "Prices and market power in mental health care: Evidence from a major policy change in the Netherlands," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(4), pages 803-819, April.
    13. Suzanne Ruwaard & Rudy Douven, 2014. "Quality and hospital choice for cataract treatments: the winner takes most," CPB Discussion Paper 272.rdf, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Regulated competition; Contract prices; Price; Volume; Quality of care; Cataract surgery;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I11 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Analysis of Health Care Markets
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health

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