title: Health plan switching among members of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.
abstract: This paper examines factors associated with switching health plans in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. Switching plans is not uncommon, with 12% of members switching plans annually. Individuals switch out of plans with premium increases and benefit decreases relative to other plans in the market. Switching is negatively associated with age due to increasing switching costs associated with age rather than decreasing premium sensitivity. Individuals in preferred provider organizations are less likely to switch, but are more responsive to premium increases than those in the managed care sector. Those who do switch plans are likely to switch to a different plan in the same sector.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Management, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. aatherl@sph.emory.edu
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Atherly
authors.forename: Curtis
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Florence
authors.forename: Kenneth E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Thorpe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D017047:Cost Sharing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005190:Family; D035082:Federal Government; D005260:Female; D006264:Health Benefit Plans, Employee / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011243:Preferred Provider Organizations; D012847:Single Person; D014481:United States