EHealthInsurance Says Data Support Consumer Health Tax Credit

EHealthInsurance says it conducted the survey to support congressional efforts to offer tax credits for individual taxpayers’ health coverage purchases, to reduce workers dependence on employer-based plans.

One major proposal calls for the government to provide a health coverage premium tax credit of $1,000 for individuals and $2,500 for families.

Some critics have argued that individuals and families start with less bargaining power than employers, and that insurers will charge far higher prices for direct purchasers because of the fear that direct purchasers may be sicker than customers who get coverage through employer-sponsored health insurance programs.

So far, though, eHealthInsurance customers appear to be paying reasonable prices for individual and family coverage, eHealthInsurance says.