Cross-Market Hospital Systems Flex Negotiating Power, to Payers’ Detriment
December
2
The rise in consolidation among hospital systems operating in different geographic areas may be hampering the competitive strength of health insurers by limiting their negotiating muscle, a new study in Health Affairs says.
The pricing effects of hospital consolidation is not new. Previous research, including a 2020 report from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), shows that merging hospital systems tend to lead to higher prices.
However, the new study seeks to unravel the effects of a particular phenomenon — what happens after a merger or acquisition (M&A) among hospitals that operate in different markets and the impact on downstream factors, including contract negotiations with insurers.
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