Provider turf wars and Medicare payment rules

Alice Chen, Elizabeth Munnich, Stephen T. Parente and Michael R. Richards

Journal of Public Economics, 2023, vol. 218, issue C

Abstract: Barriers to entry and scope of work restrictions are common features of US labor markets, especially within healthcare industries. However, concerns over access and costs of care have encouraged some deregulation. We empirically explore relaxed occupational rules of anesthesia care whereby physician-trained anesthesiologists and certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) perform overlapping services but often engage in joint production. After CRNAs were granted practice independence, we find only modest (3%) reductions in anesthesiologist billing for CRNA supervision and no evidence of greater use of CRNAs. Our results caution policymakers against overestimating the downstream impact resulting from removing these provider regulations.

Keywords: Anesthesia; Physicians; Certified registered nurse anesthetists; Provider regulation; Scope of practice; Medicare; Quality of care (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I13 I18 J44 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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:pubeco:v:218:y:2023:i:c:s0047272722002146

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2022.104812

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