This paper investigates the consequences that patients face when their regular primary care provider closes down her … practice, typically due to retirement. We estimate the causal impact of closures on patients' utilization patterns, medical … expenditures, hospitalizations, and health plan choice. Employing a difference-in-difference framework, we find that patients who …

In recent health care reforms, several countries have replaced pure payment schemes for physicians (fee …-for-service, capitation) by so-called mixed payment schemes. Until now it is still an unresolved issue whether patients are really better off … after these reforms. In this study we compare the effects resulting from pure and mixed incentives for physicians under …