Open AccessThe Effect of Market Reform on Racial Differences in Hospital Mortality
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of general internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.746
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 1525-1497
pISSN - 0884-8734
DOI - 10.1111/j.1525-1497.2006.00484_1.x
Subject(s) - medicine , subsidy , citation , payment , demography , demographic economics , actuarial science , gerontology , finance , law , economics , sociology , political science
In this study, we examined whether a reform passed in New Jersey that reduced subsidies for uninsured hospital care and changed hospital payment from rate regulation to price competition worsened racial differences in mortality outcomes for 7 conditions. The relative increase in mortality among blacks in New Jersey was significantly larger than among whites for acute myocardial infarction (2.4% points vs. 0.1% points, P ‐value for difference .026) but not for the other 6 conditions. We conclude that market‐based reform may contribute to racial disparities in mortality but we do not find consistent evidence that this is the case.