Minneapolis - The Medica Research Institute has published work in the journal Health Economics that analyzes the impact of physician prices as a result of provider consolidation or integration.
In reaction to health reform efforts, U.S. hospitals have accelerated the trend toward acquisition of physician practices. It's estimated that more than half of physician practices are now owned by hospitals or integrated delivery systems (IDSs).
When a clinic system is acquired by an IDS, the ownership change includes both vertical integration with the hospital(s) and horizontal integration with the IDS's previously owned "legacy" clinics, causing increased market concentration in physician services. While there have been previous studies on the impact of hospital market concentration, there have been sparse scientific findings on physician market concentration. The research team analyzed the impact on physician prices when two IDSs acquired three multispecialty clinic systems in the Minneapolis-St Paul market in 2007. To track prices, the team used commercial claims data from Medica health plans from 2006 to 2011.
These results are an important scientific contribution in the understanding of healthcare market organization. The findings provide an empirical study of physician price responses that can result from vertical integration accompanied by horizontal integration with the acquiring system's legacy clinics.
"These results are particularly germane given the incentives for vertical integration provided by public and private payer contracts with providers that include incentives for ACO formation to manage total cost of care," says Carlin.
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This research is supported by The Commonwealth Fund, a national, private foundation based in New York City that supports independent research on health care issues and makes grants to improve health care practice and policy. The views presented here are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Commonwealth Fund, its directors, officers, or staff.
About the Medica Research Institute We are a non-profit, research organization determined to improve the health of underserved populations through contributing evidence that informs high value health care and public policy. We do this through independent, data-driven research that is placed in the public domain. To learn more, visit MedicaResearchInstitute.org .
Health Economics