The study is part of a growing body of evidence that cost-sharing, designed to encourage consumers to make smarter choices when shopping for health care, is not achieving that goal. (Photo: Shutterstock)
One of the basic tools that employer-based insurance plans use to hold down costs is leading to more deaths, a new report suggests.
The study by the National Board of Economic Research (NBER) explored how cost-sharing can affect patient choices and, ultimately, patient health. The researchers examined Medicare data and found that a relatively modest increase in drug costs ($10 per prescription) lead to a 33% increase in mortality.
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