The New Hampshire Insurance Department is bringing together health care providers and insurers to explore why spending on health care is high and rising, and what can be done to change that.
New Hampshire ranks in the top 10 states in health care spending per capita, and consultants hired by the department say health care costs are growing rapidly in the state largely because health care providers are charging more.
The state has little competition among hospitals, which own many physician practices. The insurance market is highly concentrated, as well, and the consultants say the dominant insurers appear to be focused on maximizing their profits rather than using their market power to help consumers.
The Insurance Department will discuss those issues at a forum on Friday.
