Selection Stories: Understanding Movement across Health Plans

David Cutler, Bryan Lincoln and Richard Zeckhauser
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David Cutler: Harvard University
Bryan Lincoln: Office of the Attorney General, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Working Paper Series from Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government

Abstract: This study assesses the factors influencing the movement of people across health plans. We distinguish three types of cost-related transitions: adverse selection, the movement of the less healthy to more generous plans; adverse retention, the tendency for people to stay where they are when they get sick; and aging in place, where lack of all movement makes plans with initially older enrollees increase in cost over time. Using data from the Group Insurance Commission in Massachusetts, we show that aging in place and adverse selection are both quantitatively important. Each can materially impact equilibrium enrollments, especially when premiums to enrollees reflect these costs.

Date: 2009-07
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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https://research.hks.harvard.edu/publications/work ... ?PubId=6717&type=WPN

Related works:
Journal Article: Selection stories: Understanding movement across health plans (2010)
Working Paper: Selection Stories: Understanding Movement Across Health Plans (2009)
Working Paper: Selection Stories: Understanding Movement Across Health Plans (2009)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ecl:harjfk:rwp09-022

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