Encouraging a Study on Competitiveness in the Health Insurance Market

MEDCHI, THE MARYLAND STATE MEDICAL SOCIETY
HOUSE OF DELEGATES

INTRODUCED BY: Montgomery County Medical Society

SUBJECT: Encouraging a Study on Competitiveness in the Health Insurance Market

REFERRED TO:

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  1. Whereas, a competitive market environment is essential for improving quality of services, and
  2. ensuring fair pricing for consumers; and
  3.  
  4. Whereas, the non-health insurance market exhibits a higher degree of competitiveness, which
  5. has led to more options and better pricing for consumers; and
  6.  
  7. Whereas, in contrast, the health insurance market has seen diminishing competitiveness, with
  8. certain payors dominating the market, limiting choices for both physicians and patients; and
  9.  
  10. Whereas, market dominance by a few health insurance companies may result in reduced
  11. negotiating power for physicians, higher premiums for patients, and fewer options for
  12. healthcare coverage; and
  13.  
  14. Whereas, it is important to understand the factors contributing to the competitive environment
  15. in the non-health insurance market and how those factors differ from the health insurance
  16. market; and
  17.  
  18. Whereas, identifying the reasons for reduced competition in the health insurance market can
  19. inform policy decisions aimed at increasing competition, improving consumer choice, and
  20. reducing costs; therefore be it
  21.  
  22. RESOLVED, that MedChi work legislatively and/or regulatorily to encourage the initiation of
  23. a study to determine the factors that have encouraged competitiveness in the non-health
  24. insurance market and the factors that have contributed to reduced competitiveness in the
  25. health insurance market; and be it further
  26.  
  27. RESOLVED, that MedChi work legislatively and/or regulatorily to encourage the initiation of a
  28. study to also examine the impact of market dominance by certain payors on healthcare costs,
  29. patient choice, physician payment, and the overall quality of healthcare services, with the goal of
  30. informing future legislative and regulatory actions to enhance competition in the health insurance
  31. market.