Market power, or the ability to raise and keep prices higher than would prevail in a competitive market, is a serious problem in many health care markets across the country and requires closer scrutiny from state and federal policymakers, according to a new report from the National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI). The Academy recently convened a diverse panel of economists, antitrust experts, researchers, hospital leaders and insurance executives to examine the role and impact of market power in the U.S. health care system. The study panel’s findings, principles and identified policy options are featured in a new report—Addressing Pricing Power in Health Care Markets: Principles and Policy Options to Strengthen and Shape Markets—and will be released and discussed by noted outside experts and stakeholders at this event.

Breakfast will be available beginning at 9:00  

WHO:

• Robert Berenson, MD, Institute Fellow, Urban Institute (Study panel co-chair)
• William Hoagland, Senior Vice President, Bipartisan Policy Center (Study panel co-chair)
• John Colmers, Vice President, Health Care Transformation and Strategic Planning, John Hopkins Medicine
• Matthew Eyles, Executive Vice President of Policy and Regulatory Affairs, America’s Health Insurance Plans
• Beth Feldpush, Senior Vice President of Policy and Advocacy, America’s Essential Hospitals
• Martin Gaynor, E.J. Barone Professor of Economics and Health Policy, Carnegie Mellon University
• Jeff Goldsmith, President, Health Futures, Inc.
• Chip Kahn, President and CEO, Federation of America’s Hospitals
• Karen Pollitz, Senior Fellow, Kaiser Family Foundation
• Laurie McGinley, Washington Post health, science and environment editor; formerly with WSJ and Los Angeles Times; Kaiser Health News co-founder (moderator)

ABOUT THE ACADEMY: 

The National Academy of Social Insurance is a non-profit, nonpartisan organization made up of the nation’s leading experts on social insurance. Its mission is to advance solutions to challenges facing the nation by increasing public understanding of how social insurance contributes to economic security.