Has price competition changed hospital revenues and expenses in New York?
This study analyzes the factors that influenced hospital expenses and revenues prior to and following the enactment of the New York State Health Care Reform Act of 1996 (HCRA)-the period from 1994-1999. HCRA was expected to encourage price competition which in turn was anticipated to lower hospital revenues and expenses. We measured the differential effects on hospital revenues and expenses in markets with varying degrees of competition. We also measured the relationship between hospital revenues and expenses and the increased concentration resulting from the formation of local hospital systems. We found that revenues and expenses both grew more slowly for hospitals located in more competitive markets; hospital systems that increased concentration tended to have higher revenues. In the short run at least, price competition induced by HCRA did constrain both hospital expense and revenue growth, although the increase in hospital mergers countered this trend.
Zwanziger
Jack
J
Health Policy and Administration (MC 923), School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1603 W. Taylor St., Chicago, IL 60612-4394, USA. jzwanzig@uic.edu
Mooney
Cathleen
C
D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004465:Economic Competition; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000191:economics; D006291:Health Policy / Q000191:economics; D017722:Hospital Charges; D017721:Hospital Costs; D018803:Models, Economic; D009518:New York