In this paper, we propose a methodological approach to measure the relationship between hospital costs and health outcomes. We propose to investigate the relationship for each condition or disease area using patient-level data. We suggest to examine health outcomes as a function of costs and...

The German and Australian longitudinal surveys analysed here are the first national representative surveys to show that (1) people who continuously own a pet are the healthiest group and (2) people who cease to have a pet or never had one are less healthy. Most previous studies which have...

In response to increasing health expenditures and a high number of physician visits, the German government introduced a copayment for ambulatory care in 2004 for individuals with statutory health insurance (SHI). Because persons with private insurance were exempt from the copayments, this...

Die Ausgabendämpfungspolitik der letzten zwanzig Jahre hat die Ursachen der Kostenexplosion nicht tangiert, daher ist der Beitragssatz in der Gesetzlichen Krankenversicherung weiterhin kontinuierlich angestiegen. Als letztendliche Gründe für die Ausgabendynamik und zukünftige...

Using SOEP panel data and difference-in-differences methods, this study is the first to empirically evaluate the effectiveness of four different health care cost containment measures within an integrated framework. The four measures investigated were introduced in Germany in 1997 to reduce moral...

This paper contributes to the analysis of policy measures that attempt to reduce health care expenditures of insurers. We examine the impact of a cash bonus program for preventive health behavior of a German health insurer on prevention eff ort and health care expenditures using a unique...