title: Elasticities of market shares and social health insurance choice in Germany: a dynamic panel data approach.
abstract: In 1996, free choice of health insurers was introduced to the German social health insurance system. One objective was to increase efficiency through competition. A crucial precondition for effective competition among health insurers is that consumers search for lower-priced health insurers. We test this hypothesis by estimating the price elasticities of insurers' market shares. We use unique panel data and specify a dynamic panel model to explain changes in market shares. Estimation results suggest that short-run price elasticities are smaller than previously found by other studies. In the long-run, however, estimation results suggest substantial price effects.
authors.affiliation: RWI Essen, Essen, Germany. tamm@rwi-essen.de
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tamm
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tauchmann
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wasem
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gress
mesh_terms: D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004470:Economics, Medical; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D017059:Models, Econometric; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics*