The effect of offering standardized “Simple Choice” plans on premiums in the Federally Facilitated ACA marketplaces
中文摘要
计划标准化政策旨在通过限制成本分摊的差异、将消费者注意力引向保费、医疗网络与药品目录,帮助消费者评估计划的价值。此类政策还可能加剧保险机构之间的竞争并降低保费。我们研究其中一项政策——2017 年 ACA 医保市场中在非标准化选项之外引入标准化的“简单选择”(Simple Choice)计划——并估计其对保费的影响。在多种识别策略与稳健性检验下,我们发现 Simple Choice 计划降低了铜、银、金三个层级的保费,其中包括基准保费下降 7.3%。
Abstract
Plan standardization policies aim to help consumers assess plan value by limiting variation in cost-sharing and directing attention towards premiums, networks, and formularies. They may also intensify issuer competition and lower premiums. We study one such policy–the introduction of standardized “Simple Choice” plans alongside non-standardized options in the 2017 ACA marketplaces–and estimate its effect on premiums. Across multiple identification strategies and robustness checks, we find that Simple Choice plans reduced premiums for bronze, silver, and gold tiers, including a 7.3% reduction in the benchmark premium.