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Determinants of Regional Variation in Health Expenditures in Germany

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  • Dirk Göpffarth
  • Thomas Kopetsch
  • Hendrik Schmitz

Abstract

Health care expenditure in Germany shows clear regional differences. Such geographic variations are often seen as an indicator for inefficiency. With its homogeneous health care system, low co‐payments and uniform prices, Germany is a particularly suited example to analyse regional variations. We use data for the year 2011 on expenditure, utilization of health services and state of health in Germany's statutory health insurance system. This data, which originate from a variety of administrative sources and cover about 90% of the population, are enriched with a wealth of socio‐economic variables, data on pollutants, prices and individual preferences. State of health and demography explains 55% of the differences as measured by the standard deviation while all control variables account for a total of 72% of the differences at county level. With other measures of variation, we can account for an even greater proportion. A higher proportion of variation than usually supposed can thus be explained. Whilst this study cannot quantify inefficiencies, our results contradict the thesis that regional variations reflect inefficiency. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Suggested Citation

  • Dirk Göpffarth & Thomas Kopetsch & Hendrik Schmitz, 2016. "Determinants of Regional Variation in Health Expenditures in Germany," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 25(7), pages 801-815, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:hlthec:v:25:y:2016:i:7:p:801-815
    DOI: 10.1002/hec.3183
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    2. Moura, Ana, 2021. "Essays in health economics," Other publications TiSEM c93abd22-fa4a-42a5-b172-d, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    3. Łyszczarz, Błażej, . "Determinanty wydatków na zdrowie w gospodarstwach domowych w Polsce," Gospodarka Narodowa-The Polish Journal of Economics, Szkoła Główna Handlowa w Warszawie / SGH Warsaw School of Economics, vol. 2018(1).
    4. Błażej Łyszczarz, 2018. "Determinanty wydatków na zdrowie w gospodarstwach domowych w Polsce," Gospodarka Narodowa. The Polish Journal of Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, issue 1, pages 137-157.
    5. Danny Wende & Alexander Karmann & Ines Weinhold, 2024. "Deprivation as a fundamental cause of morbidity and reduced life expectancy: an observational study using German statutory health insurance data," International Journal of Health Economics and Management, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 257-277, June.
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    7. Wende, Danny & Kopetsch, Thomas & Richter, Wolfram F., 2020. "Planning health care capacities with a gravity equation," Ruhr Economic Papers 888, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
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    9. Schurer, Stefanie, 2017. "Bouncing back from health shocks: Locus of control and labor supply," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 1-20.
    10. Vidoli, Francesco & Auteri, Monica, 2022. "Health-care demand and supply at municipal level: A spatial disaggregation approach," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    11. Danny Wende, 2019. "Spatial risk adjustment between health insurances: using GWR in risk adjustment models to conserve incentives for service optimisation and reduce MAUP," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 20(7), pages 1079-1091, September.
    12. Ana Moura & Martin Salm & Rudy Douven & Minke Remmerswaal, 2019. "Causes of regional variation in Dutch healthcare expenditures: Evidence from movers," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(9), pages 1088-1098, September.
    13. Di Matteo, Livio & Cantarero-Prieto, David, 2018. "The Determinants of Public Health Expenditures: Comparing Canada and Spain," MPRA Paper 87800, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. Karmann Alexander & Weinhold Ines & Wende Danny, 2019. "Area Deprivation and its Impact on Population Health: Conceptual Aspects, Measurement and Evidence from Germany," Review of Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 70(1), pages 69-98, April.
    15. Jonas Krämer & Jonas Schreyögg, 2019. "Demand-side determinants of rising hospital admissions in Germany: the role of ageing," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 20(5), pages 715-728, July.
    16. Annika Herr & Maximilian Lückemann & Amela Saric-Babin, 2025. "Regional variation in the utilization of nursing home care in Germany," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 26(5), pages 757-776, July.
    17. Torrini, Irene & Grassetti, Luca & Rizzi, Laura, 2023. "Under-spending, over-spending or substitution among services? Spatial patterns of unexplained shares of health care expenditures," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    18. Constantinou, Panayotis & Tuppin, Philippe & Gastaldi-Ménager, Christelle & Pelletier-Fleury, Nathalie, 2022. "Defining a risk-adjustment formula for the introduction of population-based payments for primary care in France," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 126(9), pages 915-924.
    19. Andrea Riganti, 2021. "Containing costs in the Italian local healthcare market," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(5), pages 1001-1014, May.
    20. Seghieri, Chiara & Berta, Paolo & Nuti, Sabina, 2019. "Geographic variation in inpatient costs for Acute Myocardial Infarction care: Insights from Italy," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(5), pages 449-456.

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