title: Designing health insurance exchanges: key decisions.
abstract: A cornerstone of health care reform is the establishment of state-level insurance exchanges where individuals and small businesses can purchase health insurance in an online marketplace. States are required to develop an exchange by 2014, or participate in a federal one. The exchanges will help people without employer-sponsored insurance find and choose a health plan to meet their needs. This Issue Brief reviews the experience of Massachusetts in developing a health insurance exchange and offers policymakers guidance on key features and likely consumer responses.
authors.affiliation: Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Starc
authors.forename: Jonathan T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Kolstad
mesh_terms: D002755:Choice Behavior; D003256:Community Participation / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D035082:Federal Government; D033161:Government Regulation; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D007342:Insurance Benefits / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008404:Massachusetts; D009310:National Health Insurance, United States / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D058991:Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D011050:Policy Making; D017149:Private Sector / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D013219:State Government; D014481:United States; D019472:Universal Health Insurance / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence