Elasticities of market shares and social health insurance choice in germany: a dynamic panel data approach
研究了1996年德国引入健康保险自由选择后，消费者是否因价格而更换保险公司，通过动态面板模型估计市场份额的价格弹性，发现短期弹性较小但长期弹性显著。
In 1996, free choice of health insurers was introduced to the German social health insurance system. One objective was to increase efficiency through competition. A crucial precondition for effective competition among health insurers is that consumers search for lower-priced health insurers. We test this hypothesis by estimating the price elasticities of insurers' market shares. We use unique panel data and specify a dynamic panel model to explain changes in market shares. Estimation results suggest that short-run price elasticities are smaller than previously found by other studies. In the long-run, however, estimation results suggest substantial price effects.