Preferenties voor zorg en zorgverzekeraars [Preferences health and health insurers]
article
Managed competition implies that health insurers negotiate with care suppliers about price and quality of purchased care. An important precondition for workable competition is that consumers are sensitive to both differences in price and quality. Little is known, however, about consumer preferences with respect to medical care purchased by health insurers. This paper aims to provide more insight into consumer preferences for the different aspects of health insurance. Anticipating insurers’ new role as prudent buyers of health services, clients’ stated preferences regarding quality of care are measured by means of conjoint analysis. Conjoint analysis enables us to compare preferences regarding quality of care with preferences regarding quality of insurers’ service providing and premium. We also test for differences in preferences between clients with and without a chronic condition. Empirical results show that clients with and without a chronic condition are willing to pay the highest premiums for care with favourable health outcomes. Insurer’s investments in quality of purchased care could, therefore, pay off under the condition that they are able to build a reputation of providing for high quality care. Clients are less inclined to pay for process oriented aspects of care and service aspects of insurers.
Topics
TNO Identifier
746549
Source
TSG: Tijdschrift voor Gezondheidswetenschappen, 86(1), pp. 39-46.
Pages
39-46