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Are For-Profit Hospital Conversions Harmful to Patients and to Medicare?

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  • Gabriel Picone
  • Shin-Yi Chou
  • Frank Sloan

Abstract

We examine how changes in hospital ownership to and from for-profit status affect quality and Medicare payments per hospital stay. We hypothesize that hospitals converting to for-profit ownership boost postacquisition profitability by reducing dimensions of quality not readily observed by patients and by raising prices. We find that 1-2 years after conversion to for-profit status, mortality of patients, which is difficult for outsiders to monitor, increases while hospital profitability rises markedly and staffing decreases. Thereafter, the decline in quality is much lower. A similar decline in quality is not observed after hospitals switch from for-profit to government or private nonprofit status.

Suggested Citation

  • Gabriel Picone & Shin-Yi Chou & Frank Sloan, 2002. "Are For-Profit Hospital Conversions Harmful to Patients and to Medicare?," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 33(3), pages 507-523, Autumn.
    • Handle: RePEc:rje:randje:v:33:y:2002:i:autumn:p:507-523
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