Competition leverage: how the demand side affects optimal risk adjustment

A-Tier
Journal: RAND Journal of Economics
Year: 2014
Volume: 45
Issue: 4
Pages: 792-815

Score contribution per author:

1.341 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

type="main"> <p>We study optimal risk adjustment in imperfectly competitive health insurance markets when high-risk consumers are less likely to switch insurer than low-risk consumers. Insurers then have an incentive to select even if risk adjustment perfectly corrects for cost differences. To achieve first best, risk adjustment should overcompensate insurers for serving high-risk agents. Second, we identify a trade-off between efficiency and consumer welfare. Reducing the difference in risk adjustment subsidies increases consumer welfare by leveraging competition from the elastic low-risk market to the less elastic high-risk market. Third, mandatory pooling can increase consumer surplus further, at the cost of efficiency.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:bla:randje:v:45:y:2014:i:4:p:792-815
Journal Field
Industrial Organization
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-24