Sources of specialist physician fee variation: Evidence from Australian health insurance claims data

Jongsay Yong, Adam G Elshaug, Susan Mendez, Khic-Houy Prang and Anthony Scott ()

Health Policy, 2024, vol. 147, issue C

Abstract: This study explores the variation in specialist physician fees and examines whether the variation can be attributed to patient risk factors, variation between physicians, medical specialties, or other factors. We use health insurance claims data from a large private health insurer in Australia. Although Australia has a publicly funded health system that provides universal health coverage, about 44 % of the population holds private health insurance. Specialist physician fees in the private sector are unregulated; physicians can charge any price they want, subject to market forces.

Keywords: Specialist physician fees; Out-of-pocket payments; Price transparency; Vari- ance components; Australia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I11 L11 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:hepoli:v:147:y:2024:i:c:s0168851024001295

DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2024.105119

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