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

Izabela Jelovac

Working Papers from HAL

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)
Date: 2013-02-12
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea and nep-ias
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-00787602v1
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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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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