研究 研究所对开放招生的见解

November is a big time for consumers, 和 not just because of the approaching holiday season. 从11月1日到12月15日, it's open enrollment season for Americans to buy health insurance in the individual market. As consumers across the country consider their options in choosing the right insurance plan for themselves 和 their families, 病人必须, 供应商, 和 policymakers underst和 how medical spending affects the bottom line for millions of American families.

Last week, the 澳博官方网站app 研究所 released a new report looking at health insurance 为小企业主支付保费. We also recently looked at two ways 医疗保健 places a burden on households: regular 自付医疗费 和 特别医疗费用.

在这三份报告中, it's clear that 医疗保健 costs—either out of pocket or as part of a premium payment—represent significant expenses for American families 和 small businesses.

9月, we released new findings on the out-of-pocket 医疗保健 costs of 2 million American families. What we found is many Americans don't have a cash buffer to withst和 the volatility created by out-of-pocket 医疗保健 payments 和 many delay their 医疗保健 payments until they have more liquid assets. The average out-of-pocket spending in 2016 was $714, so as consumers weigh options during open enrollment, the extent of out-of-pocket expenses in each plan, 无论是免赔额还是共付额, 应该是一个考虑因素.

In addition to regular out-of-pocket costs, approximately one in six American families will make an extraordinary medical payment in the coming year. 这些款项, which could result from an unexpected injury or illness, can have a long-term impact on a family's financial wellbeing. 事实上, 基于我们近100个样本,在2013年至2015年期间，有5000个家庭, we found revolving credit card debt remains more than 10 percent higher among women, younger 和 older families even a year after a major medical payment.

最后, our recent report on small business insurance premiums analyzed de-identified banking data for more than 30,000名小企业主, finding they typically spend about $500 per month on insurance for themselves 和/or their families on the individual market. The cost of these premiums continues to grow dramatically, though that growth has slowed. In 2017, premiums for these small business owners grew 7 percent, 与2014年10%的增幅相比有所下降. Perhaps most concerning is our finding that nearly half of business owners who spent 6.5 percent or more of their operating expenses on insurance stopped insurance payments the following year, meaning they may be choosing to go without coverage—a scenario that leaves individuals most vulnerable to expensive 和 unexpected medical costs.

不论年龄大小, 性别, 或收入, the 研究所's research underscores an important point: even with insurance, medical payments 和 out-of-pocket costs can create unexpected, 有时是长期的, 财政负担. The lesson for Americans shopping for 医疗保健 coverage during open enrollment is twofold: compare plans to underst和 what kind of out-of-pocket costs you may face, 和 assess your emergency fund to gauge whether it is sufficient to cover an extraordinary medical expense.

The lessons from this research aren't just for consumers; they are also for policymakers, 雇主, 和提供者. 例如, more transparent 和 underst和able up-front billing, such as an estimate of the out-of-pocket cost for a dental filling, would allow patients to better plan 和 prepare for health-related expenses.

进一步, employer-sponsored pretax health reimbursement accounts could help families pay for unexpected medical expenses without increasing credit card debt. These 和 other options should continue to be on the table as discussions are had on improving access 和 utilization of 医疗保健.

For those who want to learn more about open enrollment, visit: http://www.Healthcare.gov/

法雷尔 is the founding President 和 Chief Executive Officer of the 澳博官方网站app 研究所. 以前, Diana was the Global Head of the McKinsey Center for Government 和 the McKinsey Global 研究所. She served in the White House as Deputy Director of the National Economic Council 和 Deputy Assistant to the President on Economic Policy.

The mission of the 澳博官方网站app 研究所 is to provide decision makers with data, facts 和 analysis to make smart economic decisions. A better underst和ing of the dimensions of local consumer commerce, 尤其是城市层面的细节, 将武装政策制定者, business leaders 和 others with better information to make sharper decisions 和 policies.