Information and Disparities in Health Care Quality: Evidence from GP Choice in England

Department of Economics and Decision Sciences

Speaker : Andre Veiga (Imperial)

Room T-011
 

Abstract :

“Why do low income patients tend to go to lower quality health care providers? We show that information gaps are an important determinant of this disparity by exploiting the public dis- play of summary star ratings for general practitioners. Regression discontinuity estimates show that low income patients differentially respond to the information in these ratings, consistent with high income patients having better private information about quality. We incorporate our estimates into a structural model that allows for heterogeneity in information, preferences, and consumer inertia. Information differences explain 24 percent of the income-quality gradient and reinforce disparities in access to care.”