title: The impact of HMO penetration on the rate of hospital cost inflation, 1985-1993.
abstract: This paper provides evidence that growth in health maintenance organization (HMO) enrollment slows hospital cost inflation. During the period 1985-1993, hospitals in areas with high rates of HMO penetration and growth had a slower rate of growth in expenses (8.3%) than hospitals in low penetration areas (11.2%). From 1992-1993, HMO growth lowered the rate of hospital cost inflation by .34 to 3.40 percentage points, depending on the base-year level and the annual change in HMO penetration. Declines in Medicare Prospective Payment System (PPS) margins also lowered hospital cost inflation; over the time period, annual hospital cost inflation was reduced by .38 percentage points. The estimates imply that the cumulative effect of HMO growth on hospital costs has been a $56.2 billion reduction (in 1993 dollars).
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health Care Research and Policy, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington DC 20007, USA.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Gaskin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hadley
mesh_terms: D000573:American Hospital Association; D002391:Catchment Area, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003625:Data Collection; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017721:Hospital Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D007250:Inflation, Economic / Q000639:trends*; D017059:Models, Econometric; D014481:United States