Fixed fees and physician-induced demand: a panel data study on French physicians.

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_07836D739DB3
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Fixed fees and physician-induced demand: a panel data study on French physicians.
Journal
Health Economics
Author(s)
Delattre E., Dormont B.
ISSN
1057-9230 (Print)
ISSN-L
1057-9230
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2003
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
12
Number
9
Pages
741-754
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article
Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
This paper investigates on the existence of physician-induced demand (PID) for French physicians. The test is carried out for GPs and specialists, using a representative sample of 4500 French self-employed physicians over the 1979-1993 period. These physicians receive a fee-for-services (FFS) payment and fees are controlled. The panel structure of our data allows us to take into account unobserved heterogeneity related to the characteristics of physicians and their patients. We use generalized method of moments (GMM) estimators in order to obtain consistent and efficient estimates. We show that physicians experience a decline of the number of consultations when they face an increase in the physician:population ratio. However this decrease is very slight. In addition, physicians counterbalance the fall in the number of consultations by an increase in the volume of care delivered in each encounter. Econometric results give a strong support for the existence of PID in the French system for ambulatory care.
Keywords
Cohort Studies, Economics, Medical, Fee-for-Service Plans/economics, Fees, Medical/statistics & numerical data, France, Health Care Rationing/economics, Health Manpower, Health Services Needs and Demand/statistics & numerical data, Humans, Models, Econometric, National Health Programs, Physician's Practice Patterns/economics, Physicians, Family/economics, Physicians, Family/statistics & numerical data, Specialization
Pubmed
Create date
14/03/2008 11:21
Last modification date
20/08/2019 13:29
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