Health Policy Roundup: Recent Trends in Coverage Enrollment and Affordability

This event was Part II of the Alliance’s Health Policy Roundup and 2022 Forecast series. View all events in this series here.

Economic fallout and higher unemployment rates due to the pandemic have raised concerns about health insurance coverage enrollment and affordability in the U.S. Although the national uninsured rate remained mostly unchanged throughout the pandemic (at or around 10–11%), many eligible Americans still do not have coverage. Moreover, even insured consumers are often underinsured, or have difficulty affording all of their health care costs, placing them at significant financial risk if they experience a serious or unexpected illness.

This event highlighted current trends in enrollment, premiums, and out-of-pocket costs in private insurance markets, and presented challenges and opportunities in getting eligible consumers enrolled in appropriate coverage. Panelists also explored coverage affordability and enrollment levers, including potential policy actions at federal and state levels, and how these issues intersect with other national policy conversations, COVID impact, and equitable benefit design.

For additional background information on insurance coverage, please Chapter 2 of the Alliance’s Health Policy Handbook.

Speakers:

• Event Materials

  • Speaker Bios
  • Resources
  • Expert List
  • Presentation
  • Transcript
  Annette V. James, MAAA, FSA, FCA, Chairperson, Health Equity Work Group, American Academy of Actuaries
• Kevin Patterson, MPA, MURP, Chief Executive Officer, Connect for Health Colorado
• JoAnn Volk, M.A., Research Professor, Center on Health Insurance Reforms
• Elizabeth Wroe, J.D., Principal, Leavitt Partners
• Sarah J. Dash, MPH, President and CEO, Alliance for Health Policy (moderator)

This event was made possible with support from the Commonwealth Fund.