Health Care Costs and Corporate Investment

作者：Joy Tianjiao Tong · 发表于：Review of Financial Studies · 年份：2023 · DOI：10.1093/rfs/hhad088 · 被引用次数：7 · 研究领域：Global Health Care Issues、Healthcare Policy and Management、Healthcare Systems and Reforms

Abstract Health care costs for U.S. employers have tripled over the past 20 years. Using firm-specific health expense data, I show that firms negatively adjust capital expenditures and R&D expenses in response to increases in health care costs. The effects are more pronounced for firms that are financially constrained, employ more high-skilled workers, and have less bargaining power relative to insurers. Furthermore, policy uncertainty surrounding health care costs is substantial and discourages capital investment. These findings suggest that an elevated level of health care costs and the associated uncertainty limit a firm’s ability to expand physically or through innovation.