title: Implementing the Affordable Care Act: Promoting Competition in the Individual Marketplaces.
abstract: A main goal of the Affordable Care Act is to provide Americans with access to affordable coverage in the individual market, achieved in part by pro­moting competition among insurers on premium price and value. One primary mechanism for meeting that goal is the establishment of new individual health insurance marketplaces where consumers can shop for, compare, and purchase plans, with subsidies if they are eligible. In this issue brief, we explore how the Affordable Care Act is influencing competition in the individual marketplaces in four states--Kansas, Nevada, Rhode Island, and Washington. Strategies include: educating consumers and providing coverage information in one place to ease decision-making; promoting competition among insurers; and ensuring a level playing field for premium rate development through the rate review process.
authors.affiliation: Center on Health Insurance Reforms, Georgetown University Health Policy Institute. dc1025@georgetown.edu
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cusano
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lucia
mesh_terms: D004465:Economic Competition / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D062265:Health Insurance Exchanges / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D058991:Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; D011907:Rate Setting and Review; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States