The Economics of the Public Option: Evidence from Local Pharmaceutical Markets

S-Tier
Journal: American Economic Review
Year: 2024
Volume: 114
Issue: 3
Pages: 615-44

Authors (4)

Juan Pablo Atal (not in RePEc) José Ignacio Cuesta (not in RePEc) Felipe González (King's College London) Cristóbal Otero (Columbia University)

Score contribution per author:

2.011 = (α=2.01 / 4 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

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

Abstract

We study the effects of competition by state-owned firms, leveraging the decentralized entry of public pharmacies to local markets in Chile. Public pharmacies sell the same drugs at a third of private pharmacy prices, because of stronger upstream bargaining and market power in the private sector, but are of lower quality. Public pharmacies induced market segmentation and price increases in the private sector, which benefited the switchers to the public option but harmed the stayers. The countrywide entry of public pharmacies would reduce yearly consumer drug expenditure by 1.6 percent.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:aea:aecrev:v:114:y:2024:i:3:p:615-44
Journal Field
General
Author Count
4
Added to Database
2026-01-25