title: Publicly financed competition in health care delivery: a Canadian simulation model.
abstract: This paper presents the simulation analysis of a proposal for publicly financed competition in the Canadian health care system. The proposal incorporates cost-conscious consumer choice among alternative delivery modalities within a system of national health insurance. Five model structures for competition are examined using data from a market area in the province of Ontario. The simulation results indicate the potential for competition to have a significant impact on health care expenditure over a range of plausible circumstances. The results also suggest that it may not be necessary to go so far as a system of formal competition in order to achieve much of the potential savings associated with alternative delivery modalities.
mesh_terms: D002204:Capitation Fee; D003256:Community Participation / Q000191:economics; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004465:Economic Competition; D005249:Fees and Charges; D005251:Fees, Medical; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics*; D009864:Ontario; D012985:Software Design