Altman Stuart H, Shactman David, Eilat Efrat
Schneider Institute for Health Policy, Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA.
Health Aff (Millwood). 2006 Jan-Feb;25(1):11-21. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.25.1.11.
The market for hospital services, like global markets in general, is becoming more competitive. Increased price transparency and focused competition can squeeze out inefficiencies, restraining prices and making some consumers better off. But competition can have a dark side. U.S. hospitals can treat Medicare and Medicaid patients at less than cost, care for the uninsured, and provide other money-losing services because they can cross-subsidize. By 2025 the need for general hospitals to cross-subsidize will greatly in-crease, but their ability to do so will be diminished. U.S. hospitals could begin to resemble U.S. airlines: severely cutting costs, eliminating services, and suffering financial instability.
与总体全球市场一样，医院服务市场的竞争日益激烈。价格透明度提高和针对性竞争能够挤出低效率因素，抑制价格并使一些消费者受益。但竞争也可能有不利的一面。美国医院可以以低于成本的价格治疗医疗保险和医疗补助患者，照顾未参保者，并提供其他亏损服务，因为它们可以进行交叉补贴。到2025年，综合医院进行交叉补贴的需求将大幅增加，但它们这样做的能力将被削弱。美国医院可能会开始变得像美国航空公司一样：大幅削减成本、取消服务并面临财务不稳定。
