Journal article
Federal employees health program experiences lack of competition in some areas, raising cost concerns for exchange plans
Health affairs Web exclusive, Vol.31(6), pp.1321-1328
06/2012
DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2011.1265
PMID: 22665845
Abstract
The Affordable Care Act calls for creation of health insurance exchanges designed to provide private health insurance plan choices. The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program is a national model that to some extent resembles the planned exchanges. Both offer plans at the state level but are also overseen by the federal government. We examined the availability of plans and enrollment levels in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program throughout the United States in 2010. We found that although plans were widely available, enrollment was concentrated in plans owned by just a few organizations, typically Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans. Enrollment was more concentrated in rural areas, which may reflect historical patterns of enrollment or lack of provider networks. Average biweekly premiums for an individual were lowest ($58.48) in counties where competition was extremely high, rising to $65.13 where competition was extremely low. To make certain that coverage sold through exchanges is affordable, policy makers may need to pay attention to areas where there is little plan competition and take steps through risk-adjustment policies or other measures to narrow differences in premiums and out-of-pocket expenses for consumers.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Federal employees health program experiences lack of competition in some areas, raising cost concerns for exchange plans
- Creators
- Timothy D McBride - Public Health at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, in Missouri, USA. tmcbride@wustl.eduAbigail R BarkerLisa M PollackLeah M KemperKeith J Mueller
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Health affairs Web exclusive, Vol.31(6), pp.1321-1328
- DOI
- 10.1377/hlthaff.2011.1265
- PMID
- 22665845
- ISSN
- 0278-2715
- eISSN
- 1544-5208
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 06/2012
- Academic Unit
- Health Management and Policy; Public Policy Center (Archive)
- Record Identifier
- 9984214948502771
Metrics
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