Physicians’ balance billing, supplemental insurance and access to health care

Izabela Jelovac

No 1305, Working Papers from Groupe d'Analyse et de Théorie Economique Lyon St-Étienne (GATE Lyon St-Étienne), Université de Lyon

Abstract: Some countries allow physicians to balance bill patients, that is, to bill a fee above the one that is negotiated with, and reimbursed by the health authorities. Balance billing is known for restricting access to physicians’ services while supplemental insurance against balance billing amounts is supposed to alleviate the access problem. This paper analyzes in a theoretical setting the consequences of balance billing on the fees setting and on the inequality of access among the users of physicians’ services. It also shows that supplemental insurance against the expenses associated with balance billing, rather than alleviating the access problem, increases it.

Keywords: Physicians’ fees; balance billing; supplemental insurance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I13 I14 J33 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea and nep-ias
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

Downloads: (external link)
ftp://ftp.gate.cnrs.fr/RePEc/2013/1305.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: Physicians’ balance billing, supplemental insurance and access to health care (2015)
Working Paper: Physicians’ balance billing, supplemental insurance and access to health care (2015)
Working Paper: Physicians' balance billing, supplemental insurance and access to health care (2013)
Working Paper: Physicians Balance Billing, Supplemental Insurance and Access to Health Care (2012)
Working Paper: Physicians Balance Billing, Supplemental Insurance and Access to Health Care (2011)
Working Paper: Physicians Balance Billing, Supplemental Insurance and Access to Health Care (2011)
Working Paper: Physicians Balance Billing, Supplemental Insurance and Access to Health Care (2011)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gat:wpaper:1305

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