Safe Table Forums:

Of Hospitals and Airlines: What are the Right Roles for Competition and Regulation?

April 2006

The appropriate nature and extent of competition in health care facility markets (predominately hospitals) always generates heated discussion. In states with Certificate of Need laws (including Washington), this discussion necessarily involves the role of CON in shaping competition in regulated markets. In 2006, the debate is on again. Interest at the national level is evidenced by the recent special issue of Health Affairs on the topic. In the state of Washington, the Governor has appointed a Task Force to make recommendations about changes to the nature and scope of Washington's CON program and the legislature is considering several pieces of legislation that would affect competition in hospital markets.

The April Safe Table Forum will feature Allen Dobson, PhD, senior vice president of the Lewin Group in Falls Church, VA. His main areas of focus are hospital and physician payment systems and the use of public and private sector databases to address public policy issues. Prior to joining Lewin, Dr. Dobson was Director of the Office of Research at HCFA while Medicare PPS was developed and implemented. He will be followed by a panel of local respondents and small group discussions among the 60 invited participants. The Forum will be held in the University Tower Hotel from 9 am to 12 noon. Light refreshments will be served.

• Agenda
• Al Dobson's presentation
• Background: Dobson, Allen, Joan DaVanzo, Namrata Sen. "The Cost-Shift Payment 'Hydraulic': Foundation, History, and Implications", Health Affairs, Jan/Feb 2006.
• Background: Iglehart, John K. "U.S. Hospitals: Examining Their Fraying Social Contract", Health Affairs, Jan/Feb 2006.
• GAO Report: General Hospitals: Operational and Clinical Changes Largely Unaffected by Presence of Competing Specialty Hospitals. April 2006.