The effect of state non-group health insurance market regulations on labor and insurance markets: From theory to policy

TitleThe effect of state non-group health insurance market regulations on labor and insurance markets: From theory to policy
Publication TypeThesis
Year of Publication2014
AuthorsLin, L-K
AdvisorSimon, KI
Degree3669382
Number of Pages150
Date Published2014
UniversityIndiana University
CityBloomington, IN
Thesis TypePh.D.
Accession Number1648726366
KeywordsInsurance, Methodology, Public Policy, Retirement Planning and Satisfaction
Abstract

Health insurance coverage among the working nonelderly population is highly concentrated on employer sponsored health insurance (ESI). State governments in the early 1990s and the Federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 made efforts to provide health insurance to individuals who do not have access to ESI by regulating the non-group market. In the first chapter, I propose a theoretical framework to analyze the effects of state non-group health insurance market regulations on the market equilibrium and on the job choices focusing on the guaranteed issue, rating restriction and the combination of these two regulations. In the second chapter I estimate the impact of these regulations on the retirement decision by difference-in-difference regressions using data collected from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and the Current Population Survey (CPS). My results provide evidence that guaranteed issue significantly increases the retirement rate by 1.2 percentage points. Guaranteed issue several plans with rating restrictions also significantly increases retirement rate by 1.5 percentage points. Workers who have chronic health problems are more likely to retire in response to both types of regulations than the healthy. I study the effects of these state regulations on the non-group health insurance coverage and on the transition from group to non-group health plans in the third chapter. The results suggest that guaranteed issue alone encourages individuals to transition from group to non-group health coverage. If guaranteed issue, together with rating restrictions, is forced upon some of the health plans, the transition from group to non-group coverage would increase while the non-insured also increases. If all plans are guaranteed issue with rating restrictions, non-group coverages are not affected but more people become uninsured.

Notes

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Endnote Keywords

Public policy

Short TitleThe effect of state non-group health insurance market regulations on labor and insurance markets: From theory to policy
Citation Key6421