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Did UberX reduce ambulance volume?

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Listed:
  • Leon Moskatel
  • David Slusky

Abstract

Ambulances are a vital part of emergency medical services. However, they come in single, high intervention form, which is at times unnecessary, resulting in excessive costs for patients and insurers. In this paper, we ask whether UberX's entry into a city caused substitution away from traditional ambulances for low‐risk patients, reducing overall volume. Using a city‐panel over‐time and leverage that UberX enter markets sporadically over multiple years, we find that UberX entry reduced the per capita ambulance volume by at least 6.7%. Our result is robust to numerous specifications.

Suggested Citation

  • Leon Moskatel & David Slusky, 2019. "Did UberX reduce ambulance volume?," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(7), pages 817-829, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:hlthec:v:28:y:2019:i:7:p:817-829
    DOI: 10.1002/hec.3888
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. M. Keith Chen & Judith A. Chevalier & Peter E. Rossi & Emily Oehlsen, 2019. "The Value of Flexible Work: Evidence from Uber Drivers," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 127(6), pages 2735-2794.
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    Blog mentions

    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. Chris Sampson’s journal round-up for 12th August 2019
      by Chris Sampson in The Academic Health Economists' Blog on 2019-08-12 11:00:31
    2. Uber, Lyft and the Urgency of Saving Money on Ambulances
      by ? in The Incidental Economist on 2018-10-03 11:00:00
    3. With No Legal Guardrails for Patients, Ambulances Drive Surprise Medical Billing
      by ? in Physician's Weekly on 2020-09-15 04:04:04

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Courtemanche, Charles & Friedson, Andrew & Koller, Andrew P. & Rees, Daniel I., 2019. "The affordable care act and ambulance response times," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    2. Eleftheria Kontou & Noreen McDonald, 2021. "Associating ridesourcing with road safety outcomes: Insights from Austin, Texas," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(3), pages 1-18, March.
    3. Zhou, You, 2020. "Ride-sharing, alcohol consumption, and drunk driving," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    4. Barreto, Yuri & Silveira Neto, Raul da Mota & Carazza, Luis, 2021. "Uber and traffic safety: Evidence from Brazilian cities," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    5. Chaudhary, Sookti & Davis, Alison & Troske, Kenneth & Troske, SuZanne, 2019. "Hospital Closures and Short-Run Change in Ambulance Call Times," IZA Discussion Papers 12797, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Teltser, Keith & Lennon, Conor & Burgdorf, Jacob, 2021. "Do ridesharing services increase alcohol consumption?," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    7. Charles Courtemanche & Andrew Friedson & Daniel I. Rees, 2018. "Ambulance Utilization in New York City after the Implementation of the Affordable Care Act," NBER Working Papers 24480, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    8. Thomas Tacker, 2021. "Competitive Safety in Uber versus the Taxi Industry," Journal of Private Enterprise, The Association of Private Enterprise Education, vol. 36(Fall 2021), pages 49-66.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • L91 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Transportation: General

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