價格透明化可以促進醫療市場的價格競爭嗎？以台灣特殊醫療器材市場為例

Abstract

台灣特殊醫療器材市場長期存在不同醫事機構間價格落差大的情況，為促使特殊醫療器材價格資訊透明化，衛生福利部中央健康保險署於2014年6月推出自費醫材比價網，此外，於2015年開始對特殊醫療器材實施自付差額上限以降低價格分散程度。本研究利用差異中之差異法探討此二價格政策對於市場價格與價差的影響。研究發現平均而言自費醫材比價網促使特殊醫療器材價格調降1.5%至5%，另一方面，自付差額上限顯著降低37.5%至50%的價格差距。我們認為醫療市場價格資訊透明化可達到價格競爭效果。

Price dispersion has long persisted in the healthcare markets in Taiwan. To make prices of medical implants more transparent, the Ministry of Health and Welfare launched a price comparison site in June 2014. In addition, the Ministry started to put a price cap on medical implants in 2015 to reduce price dispersion. I use a difference-in-differences model to estimate the effect of the policies. On average, the price comparison site lowers the price by 1.5 to 5%. On the other hand, the price cap is estimated to decrease price dispersion by up to 50%. My results show that price transparency intensifies price competition in healthcare.