Second Essay Assignment due date
You can get five points
extra credit if you complete a draft and discuss it with me before it is
due. Do not turn in an essay with
language errors.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA)
included two broad inducements for uncovered households to acquire health
insurance in the non-group market. The
federal subsidies for premiums are supposed to pull households into the market.
The fine levied on uncovered households represented a push.
Both provisions were structured to increase insurance coverage while
decreasing the effects of adverse selection.
A.
Explain the adverse selection problem with respect to
non-group health insurance. Why is
adverse selection less of a problem for employer-provided insurance?
B.
Summarize the initial reasoning presented in this article supporting
the mandate (fine) that was part of the ACA.
Why was it thought that subsidies for health insurance would not be
enough inducement?
C.
Consider this article on
the recent enrollment gains in the non-group insurance market. According to the article, what were the
causes of the enrollment growth?
D.
The mandate (fine) was considered an important feature
of the ACA for the non-group market. Was
it ever actually needed? Defend whichever
position you take.