Competition policy for health care provision in Germany

Mathias Kifmann

Health Policy, 2017, vol. 121, issue 2, 119-125

Abstract: Since the 1990s, Germany has introduced a number of competitive elements into its public health care system. Sickness funds were given some freedom to sign selective contracts with providers. Competition between ambulatory care providers and hospitals was introduced for certain diseases and services. As competition has become more intense, the importance of competition law has increased. This paper reviews these areas of competition policy. The problems of introducing competition into a corporatist system are discussed. Based on the scientific evidence on the effects of competition, key lessons and implications for future policy are formulated.

Keywords: Hospitals; General practitioners; Competition policy; Germany; Regulated competition; Corporatism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:hepoli:v:121:y:2017:i:2:p:119-125

DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2016.11.014

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