Riding the Bull: Experience with Individual Market Reform in Washington, Kentucky, and Massachusetts

• Published in: Journal of health politics, policy and law policy and law, 2000-02, Vol.25 (1), p.133-173
• Main Author: Kirk, Adele M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Costs; Employers; ERISA; Governors; Health Care; Health care expenditures; Health care policy; Health Care Reform - legislation & jurisprudence; Health insurance; Income taxes; Insurance; Insurance coverage; Insurance Coverage - economics; Insurance Coverage - legislation & jurisprudence; Insurance Coverage - statistics & numerical data; Insurance industry; Insurance, Health - economics; Insurance, Health - legislation & jurisprudence; Insurance, Health - statistics & numerical data; Interviews as Topic; Kentucky; Legal reform; Legislation; Legislatures; Market; Massachusetts; Medicaid; Medicine and Health; Political advertising; Political Science; Politics; Private Sector; Provisions; Public Health and Health Policy; Public Policy; Reform; Reforms; Separate lines of business; State budgets; State Government; State Government (Kentucky; State laws; Statistical analysis; Studies; Uninsured people; Washington
• ISSN: 0361-6878; 1527-1927
• DOI: 10.1215/03616878-25-1-133

Case studies are presented in an attempt to provide the context for three states that have undertaken significant individual insurance market reforms: Washington, Kentucky, and Massachusetts. Each case study describes the events leading up to reform and traces the history of reforms from legislation through implementation, and in two cases, through subsequent partial repeal measures. Each study then examines available data on market conditions in the period that follows, including products, rates, enrollment, and insurer experience with and reaction to reform. The studies draw on a number of sources and types of information, including extensive semistructured interviews with officials with the state departments of insurance, insurers and insurer representatives, insurance agents, state legislative staff, and consumer advocates. They use information from written sources including white papers and other documents produced by state departments of insurance, the reform statutes and subsequent department of insurance rules, and press reports from newspapers and the business press.