On the weekend, I posed a few questions raised by the Commonwealth Fund survey of underinsurance released this week. I've since heard from Commonwealth's Sara Collins, VP of health care coverage and access, the lead researcher in the study. Her answers highlight some significant unknowns about what's going on in employer-sponsored insurance.*
To recap, Commonwealth found that among those American adults under age 65 who were insured for a full twelve months, 23 percent were underinsured – that is, their deductibles and copays were high enough to cause severe financial strain. That top line is almost unchanged since 2010; the real damage on this front was done from 2005 to 2010, when employers started shifting costs en masse to employees. Among those who get insurance from an employer, the Commonwealth found an underinsurance rate of 20%, unchanged since 2012 and up from 17% in 2010.
To recap, Commonwealth found that among those American adults under age 65 who were insured for a full twelve months, 23 percent were underinsured – that is, their deductibles and copays were high enough to cause severe financial strain. That top line is almost unchanged since 2010; the real damage on this front was done from 2005 to 2010, when employers started shifting costs en masse to employees. Among those who get insurance from an employer, the Commonwealth found an underinsurance rate of 20%, unchanged since 2012 and up from 17% in 2010.
