Regulation versus Competition, a False Dichotomy: How Regulatory Approaches Can Be Structured to Support Competition an

The project will study how government regulatory efforts of various types can complement and promote competition in health care markets. The project will start with a literature review on competition and regulation theory in order to support the position that the most effective cost-control models in the future will employ mutually supportive regulatory and competitive approaches. Next, the researchers will identify real-world models of such approaches through a literature review and targeted interviews, including models that focus on constraining price while competing on other factors, such as quality, convenience, innovation, and customer service. Examples will include both domestic and international experiences. Ultimately, the project will identify an array of “hybrid” regulatory and competitive models that address high health care prices and price increases for state and federal policymakers.