The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #74234

Jonathan Sunshine, PhD, Research, American College of Radiology, 1891 Preston White Dr., Reston, VA 20191, 703-648-8924, jonathans@acr.org

It is often assumed that competition muct lead to reduced costs. In practice, cost reduction is what would be expected only with a pure commodity. In imperfectly competitive markets, suppliers often find that they do better in terms of profits by creating product differentiation and customer loyalty. This type of competition will not necessarily reduce prices.

Learning Objectives:

• At the end of this presentation participants will understand why the nature of the product or service being supplied is essential to understanding whether competition will reduce costs.

Keywords: Access to Health Care, Healthcare Costs

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.