Hospital market structure and the behavior of not-for-profit hospitals

Rand J Econ. 2002 Autumn;33(3):433-46.

Abstract

I exploit a change in hospital financial incentives to examine whether the behavior of private not-for-profit hospitals is systematically related to the share of nearby hospitals organized as for-profit firms. My findings demonstrate that not-for-profit hospitals in for-profit intensive areas are significantly more responsive to the change than their counterparts in areas served by few for-profit providers. Differences in financial constraints and other observable factors correlated with for-profit hospital penetration do not explain the heterogeneous response. The findings suggest that not-for-profit hospitals mimic the behavior of private for-profit providers when they actively compete with them.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • California
  • Economic Competition
  • Economics, Hospital*
  • Health Care Sector
  • Hospitals, Proprietary / economics
  • Hospitals, Voluntary / economics*
  • Hospitals, Voluntary / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Medicaid
  • Reimbursement, Disproportionate Share / economics*
  • United States