Consequences of a Shortage and Rationing: Evidence from a Pediatric Vaccine

Eli Liebman, Emily C. Lawler, Abe Dunn and David Ridley

No 31479, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: Shortages and rationing are common in health care, yet we know little about the consequences. We examine an 18-month shortage of the pediatric Haemophilus Influenzae Type B (Hib) vaccine. Using insurance claims data and variation in shortage exposure across birth cohorts, we find that the shortage reduced uptake of high-value primary doses by 4 percentage points and low-value booster doses by 26 percentage points. This suggests providers largely complied with rationing recommendations. In the long-run, catch-up vaccination occurred but was incomplete: shortage-exposed cohorts were 4 percentage points less likely to have received their booster dose years later. We also find that the shortage and rationing caused provider switches, extra provider visits, and negative spillovers to other care.

JEL-codes: I12 I18 L65 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023-07
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea and nep-his
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Published as Eli Liebman & Emily Lawler & Abe Dunn & David B. Ridley, 2023. "Consequences of a shortage and rationing: Evidence from a pediatric vaccine," Journal of Health Economics, .

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Journal Article: Consequences of a shortage and rationing: Evidence from a pediatric vaccine (2023)
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