Horses or Unicorns: Can Paying for Performance Make Quality Competition Routine?

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2006

Journal Title

Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law

ISSN

0361-6878

DOI

10.1215/03616878-2005-005

Abstract

The competitive benefits of pay-for-performance (P4P) financial incentives are widely assumed. These incentives can affect health care through several mechanisms, however, not all of which involve competition. This insight has three implications. First, federal antitrust enforcement should continue to scrutinize P4P arrangements. Second, government needs to play a larger role in P4P than through antitrust oversight. Third, widespread enthusiasm for a particular health policy reform does not relieve policy makers of the obligation to understand its theoretical basis.

First Page

531

Last Page

556

Num Pages

26

Volume Number

31

Issue Number

3

Publisher

Duke University Press

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