Roundtable meeting on connecting public policy to health benefit designs

With the return of double-digit increases in health care premiums and costs, many employers, government payors, and individuals are concerned about the affordability of comprehensive first-dollar coverage. There appears to be growing interest in less comprehensive benefit plans in some health care markets, including plans with limited benefits or increased levels of cost sharing. Some observers argue that less comprehensive benefit plans represent a promising approach to maintaining and expanding affordable coverage alternatives in the private market. Others express concern about these plans' ability to protect the health and financial well being of consumers. This grant provides partial support for a roundtable meeting of the Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy, entitled, "Connecting Public Policy to Health Benefit Design." The goals of the roundtable meeting are to: (1) document the current trend toward more affordable, but less comprehensive, health benefit plans and to understand the implications for access to health care; (2) identify public policy changes related to the trend toward low-option plans; (3) identify public policy interventions that would facilitate responsible approaches to meeting market demand; and (4) develop a framework for policy-makers and the health plan industry's responsible reaction to market demand for these options. This project will be considered successful if frameworks are developed and made available through at least three publications to interested parties.

Grant Details

Amount Awarded $10,000.00

Awarded on: 8/20/2001

Time frame: 9/1/2001 - 2/28/2002

Grant Number: 43100