Title: Towards cost transparency and patients' attitude in the German healthcare system: an information economics viewpoint

Authors: Constanze Sörensen

Addresses: Department of Nursing and Management, Hamburg University of Applied Science, Alexanderstraße 1, D – 20099 Hamburg, Germany

Abstract: Owing to information constraints in ambulatory care, concerned parties experience difficulties in understanding the German public healthcare system and recent healthcare reforms. The aims of this paper are to: 1) analyse information asymmetries between patients, physicians and the statutory health insurance; 2) evaluate patients' preferences (n = 1,315) with regard to reimbursement of out-of-pocket payments, which might overcome the market related information deficits; 3) assess whether the mechanism in which patients pay up front and get reimbursed may improve transparency and help publicly insured patients become more involved in their health and the healthcare system. Key results indicate that cost transparency would increase and individual responsibility would become more relevant.

Keywords: Germany; healthcare systems; information asymmetry; cost transparency; reimbursement; out-of-pocket payments; patient preferences; patient attitudes; information economics; public healthcare; healthcare reforms; statutory health insurance; individual responsibility.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBHR.2013.058849

International Journal of Behavioural and Healthcare Research, 2013 Vol.4 No.3/4, pp.305 - 324

Received: 30 Jan 2013
Accepted: 04 Oct 2013

Published online: 21 Jun 2014 *

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