The impact of tiered physician networks on patient choices.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To assess whether patient choice of physician or health plan was affected by physician tier-rankings.

Data sources

Administrative claims and enrollment data on 171,581 nonelderly beneficiaries enrolled in Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission health plans that include a tiered physician network and who had an office visit with a tiered physician.

Study design

We estimate the impact of tier-rankings on physician market share within a plan of new patients and on the percent of a physician's patients who switch to other physicians with fixed effects regression models. The effect of tiering on consumer plan choice is estimated using logistic regression and a pre-post study design.

Principal findings

Physicians in the bottom (least-preferred) tier, part

SUBMITTER: Sinaiko AD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4239853 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature