Health Economics and Social Policy
Fewer services at the end of a billing period
2 May 2017
Konrad Himmel, former research assistant of Prof. Kifmann, and Udo Schneider of the Techniker Health Insurance (TK) have published a joint HCHE discussion paper on ambulatory care at the end of a billing period.
Using claims data provided by TK, Germany’s largest sickness fund, the authors find a decrease of all services limited by a threshold at the end of a billing period and an immediate increase at the beginning of the following period. For services that are not limited, they do not find an effect. An increase of ambulatory emergencies at the end of a billing period suggests a negative welfare effect for patients.