While technology issues have dominated the rollout of the health insurance marketplaces, the pace of enrollment is picking up, with more consumers now selecting a health plan for themselves and their families. Many consumers may be choosing a health plan for the first time—particularly if they have previously been denied coverage or had their choices limited due to a pre-existing condition. Yet shopping for a health plan can be a confusing process, requiring consumers to weigh multiple factors such as premiums, cost-sharing, and the financial risk of unforeseen health needs.  The Affordable Care Acts introduces significant reforms to the health insurance market to make decision-making easier, including setting common benchmarks for cost-sharing and benefits for plans sold through health insurance marketplaces. However, consumers may still find significant variation in health plan design and have dozens, if not hundreds, of plan options from which to choose.

In our latest issue brief for The Commonwealth Fund, we found that many states are taking steps beyond the ACA requirements to simplify health plan choices for consumers. These actions—along with the overall design and user-friendliness of the marketplace websites—may help consumers more easily compare their health plan options and select a plan that is more likely to offer the right level of coverage at the best price.  Over time, the different strategies used by states could help policymakers narrow in on the optimal number and variety of plan choices for consumers, given their local needs and circumstances.

To read the issue brief, What States Are Doing to Simplify Plan Choice in Health Insurance Marketplaces, visit The Commonwealth Fund website.