The analysis uses data from the Health Care Cost Institute.
Unconcentrated markets with higher inpatient prices have a 1.37 percentage point decrease in mortality, a 53 percent increase in spending on emergency services and a 22 percent increase in one-year total health spending.
This proves these hospitals are spending an additional $1 million on nondeferrable emergency cases for every life that is saved, according to the study authors, who note the spending is likely cost-effective.
However, hospitals in highly concentrated markets with higher prices were not found to have lower mortality rates.
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