High health costs in Milwaukee area due to power of care systems, study says

A study led the by the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute contends that high healthcare costs in the Milwaukee area stem from the market power of healthcare systems. Healthcare systems have increased their market power by employing physicians, which gives them a referral base for their hospitals, which makes it harder for would-be competitors to enter the market, according to the study. The Wisconsin Policy Research Institute's study recommends the adoption of health savings accounts to encourage competition, and Institute representatives estimated that health savings accounts could lower healthcare costs by 10%.