TY - UNPB
T1 - Testing for Ethnic Discrimination in Outpatient Health Care
T2 - Evidence from a Field Experiment in Germany
AU - Halla, Martin
AU - Kah, Christopher
AU - Sausgruber, Rupert
PY - 2021/12/1
Y1 - 2021/12/1
N2 - To test for ethnic discrimination in access to outpatient health care services, we carry out an email-correspondence study in Germany. We approach 3,224 physician offices in the 79 largest cities in Germany with fictitious appointment requests and randomized patients’ characteristics. We find that patients’ ethnicity, as signaled by distinct Turkish versus German names, does not affect whether they receive an appointment or wait time. In contrast, patients with private insurance are 31 percent more likely to receive an appointment. Holding a private insurance also increases the likelihood of receiving a response and reduces the wait time. This suggests that physicians use leeway to prioritize privately insured patients to enhance their earnings, but they do not discriminate persons of Turkish origin based on taste. Still, their behavior creates means-based barriers for economically disadvantaged groups.
AB - To test for ethnic discrimination in access to outpatient health care services, we carry out an email-correspondence study in Germany. We approach 3,224 physician offices in the 79 largest cities in Germany with fictitious appointment requests and randomized patients’ characteristics. We find that patients’ ethnicity, as signaled by distinct Turkish versus German names, does not affect whether they receive an appointment or wait time. In contrast, patients with private insurance are 31 percent more likely to receive an appointment. Holding a private insurance also increases the likelihood of receiving a response and reduces the wait time. This suggests that physicians use leeway to prioritize privately insured patients to enhance their earnings, but they do not discriminate persons of Turkish origin based on taste. Still, their behavior creates means-based barriers for economically disadvantaged groups.
U2 - 10.57938/8409a068-9a8e-495b-b7fa-1c99c109c62a
DO - 10.57938/8409a068-9a8e-495b-b7fa-1c99c109c62a
M3 - WU Working Paper
T3 - Department of Economics Working Paper Series
BT - Testing for Ethnic Discrimination in Outpatient Health Care
PB - WU Vienna University of Economics and Business
CY - Vienna
ER -