title: Competition policy for health care provision in Germany.
abstract: Since the 1990s, Germany has introduced a number of competitive elements into its public health care system. Sickness funds were given some freedom to sign selective contracts with providers. Competition between ambulatory care providers and hospitals was introduced for certain diseases and services. As competition has become more intense, the importance of competition law has increased. This paper reviews these areas of competition policy. The problems of introducing competition into a corporatist system are discussed. Based on the scientific evidence on the effects of competition, key lessons and implications for future policy are formulated.
authors.affiliation: Universität Hamburg, Esplanade 36, 20354 Hamburg, Germany. Electronic address: Mathias.Kifmann@wiso.uni-hamburg.de.
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kifmann
mesh_terms: D032982:Contracts / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D019468:Disease Management; D004465:Economic Competition; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000191:economics; D005858:Germany; D033161:Government Regulation; D018166:Health Care Reform; D006273:Health Facility Merger / Q000379:methods; D006291:Health Policy; D016304:Hospitals, Private / Q000191:economics; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000191:economics
keywords: Competition policy; Corporatism; General practitioners; Germany; Hospitals; Regulated competition