Exchanges may draw 37 million already-covered workers

The Stanford School of Medicine team examined subsidy outlays for premiums and cost-sharing for individuals purchasing private insurance through exchanges.

What its investigation turned up could have profound implications for the government’s role in providing financial support for insurance purchased through the exchanges.

“Our findings show that changing theoretical premium contribution levels by just $100 could induce 2.25 million individuals to transition to exchanges and increase federal outlays by $6.7 billion. Policy makers and analysts should pay especially careful attention to participation rates as the act’s implementation continues,” the Stanford researchers cautioned.

About 170 million Americans have health insurance through their own job or through a family member’s; such coverage is available to 80 percent of full-time workers.

The Stanford researchers noted that the existence of a “better deal” through a state exchange might not sway an employee to leave the security and comfort of coverage chosen by an employer. Rather, the study stressed that its findings indicated that state exchange insurance may turn out to be more successful than anyone originally thought at attracting customers.

The Michigan study said the net increase or decrease in the number of workers with employer-sponsored health insurance will be only a percent or two.

That corresponds with a survey released last month by the National Business Group on Health, which represents large employers. It found that 1 percent were considering moving current employees to exchanges in 2014, though 30 percent might do so after that. 

See also:

• States predict more exchange customers
• Tax credits will offset PPACA sticker shock
• Early PPACA costs fall hardest on small business