BUILDING A MORE SUSTAINABLE HEALTH INSURANCE MARKET UNDER THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
Open Access
Author:
Lewis, Eric Matthew
Area of Honors:
Actuarial Science
Degree:
Bachelor of Science
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Ron Gebhardtsbauer, Thesis Supervisor Nan Zhu, Faculty Reader Ron Gebhardtsbauer, Thesis Honors Advisor
Keywords:
public option Germany Affordable Care Act
Abstract:
The goals of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are to expand access to health care, improve the quality of care, and lower health care spending growth in the United States. However, there have been several challenges introduced during its implementation that raise concerns over the long-term sustainability of the health insurance market under the new law. A potential improvement that has been debated over the past decade is the establishment of a government-run public option in the health insurance exchanges to compete with private insurers and offer additional health plans in areas where few insurers exist. This paper evaluates the potential impact of establishing a public option in the health insurance exchanges. I conduct a case study on Germany’s health care system to assess the advantages and disadvantages of balancing both a public and private sector in the health insurance market. Then, based on the analysis of Germany’s health care system, I provide suggestions on how to improve the design of the public option to address the challenges presented by the ACA.
