The response of small businesses to variation in the price of health insurance: results from a randomized controlled trial.
There is substantial interest in attempts to reduce the number of uninsured persons by providing subsidies to small businesses. To measure the responsiveness of small businesses to offers of subsidized coverage, the authors conducted a randomized controlled trial in which selected groups of San Diego businesses were offered the opportunity to purchase coverage at prices ranging from $20 to $100 per month for an employee-only policy. At $20 per month, an estimated 40% of eligible businesses purchased insurance; at $100 per month, 13% purchased insurance. Small businesses not currently offering insurance to employees are not very responsive to large reductions in the price of coverage. Programs to subsidize insurance for small businesses and their employees are unlikely to substantially reduce the number of uninsured persons.
Kronick
Richard
R
University of California, San Diego, California, USA. rkronick@ucsd.edu
Olsen
Louis C
LC
Gilmer
Todd P
TP
D002140:California; D017049:Employer Health Costs / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006264:Health Benefit Plans, Employee / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models