BPC Health Leaders Release Policy Options to Improve Affordability on Individual Insurance Market

Washington, D.C.– Today, members of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Future of Health Care Initiative released an issue brief that lays out a number of policy options to improve the affordability of premiums on the individual health insurance market. The brief builds on the group’s two-stage approach to health care reform released in August 2017. It analyzes the current political environment and offers policies that could work in the near-term to stabilize the market and give policymakers time to work towards broader bipartisan reforms for America’s health care system.

Time is of the essence to improve Americans’ access to affordable health insurance in the individual market.

“We, as a group, believe swift action is needed to help stabilize the individual insurance market in order to drive down costs and improve insurer participation. Right now, insurers are making decisions about whether to participate in the market and establishing premium rates for 2019. Congress cannot wait until the fall to take action on reforms. Time is of the essence to improve Americans’ access to affordable health insurance in the individual market.”

Over the past two years, both Republicans and Democrats have raised concerns about the stability of the market for consumers who obtain coverage on their own, outside of the employer system. Members of BPC’s Future of Health Care Initiative have shared this concern and called on policymakers to stabilize the individual insurance market and ensure premiums and cost-sharing are affordable for all served by this relatively small market of consumers.