Most countries that apply risk-equalization in their health insurance market(s) perform risk-equalization on medical claims but do not include other components of the insurance premium, such as administrative costs. Using fixed effects panel regressions from individual insurers in Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the US, we find evidence that health insurers with a high morbidity population on average have higher administrative costs. We argue that administrative costs should also be included in risk-equalization and we show that such equalization results in additional equalization payments nontrivial in size. Using examples from Germany and the US, we show how in practice policymakers can include administrative costs in risk-equalization. We are skeptical about applying risk-equalization to other components of the insurance premium, such as profits or costs related to solvency requirements of insurers.

Douven, R., Kauer, L., Demme, S., Paolucci, F., van de Ven, W., Wasem, J., et al. (2022). Should administrative costs in health insurance be included in the risk-equalization? An analysis of five countries. THE EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS, 23, 1437-1453 [10.1007/s10198-022-01436-y].

Should administrative costs in health insurance be included in the risk-equalization? An analysis of five countries

Paolucci, Francesco;
2022

Abstract

Most countries that apply risk-equalization in their health insurance market(s) perform risk-equalization on medical claims but do not include other components of the insurance premium, such as administrative costs. Using fixed effects panel regressions from individual insurers in Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the US, we find evidence that health insurers with a high morbidity population on average have higher administrative costs. We argue that administrative costs should also be included in risk-equalization and we show that such equalization results in additional equalization payments nontrivial in size. Using examples from Germany and the US, we show how in practice policymakers can include administrative costs in risk-equalization. We are skeptical about applying risk-equalization to other components of the insurance premium, such as profits or costs related to solvency requirements of insurers.
2022
Douven, R., Kauer, L., Demme, S., Paolucci, F., van de Ven, W., Wasem, J., et al. (2022). Should administrative costs in health insurance be included in the risk-equalization? An analysis of five countries. THE EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS, 23, 1437-1453 [10.1007/s10198-022-01436-y].
Douven, Rudy; Kauer, Lukas; Demme, Sylvia; Paolucci, Francesco; van de Ven, Wynand; Wasem, Jürgen; Zhao, Xiaoxi
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11585/871913
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