Free to Choose? Reform, Choice, and Consideration Sets in the English National Health Service
2016 ◽
Vol 106
(11)
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pp. 3521-3557
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Keyword(s):
Choice in public services is controversial. We exploit a reform in the English National Health Service to assess the effect of removing constraints on patient choice. We estimate a demand model that explicitly captures the removal of the choice constraints imposed on patients. We find that, post-removal, patients became more responsive to clinical quality. This led to a modest reduction in mortality and a substantial increase in patient welfare. The elasticity of demand faced by hospitals increased substantially post-reform and we find evidence that hospitals responded to the enhanced incentives by improving quality. This suggests greater choice can raise quality. (JEL D12, I11, I18)
2010 ◽
Vol 5
(3)
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pp. 343-363
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2012 ◽
Vol 42
(5)
◽
pp. 569-574
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2007 ◽
Vol 12
(1_suppl)
◽
pp. 10-17
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2010 ◽
pp. 19-30
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2005 ◽
Vol 35
(3)
◽
pp. 479-483
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