Study Snapshot

By providing access to more affordable health insurance, health insurance exchanges may be one mechanism to reduce the number of uninsured individuals in the United States. A critical factor in developing robust exchanges is active participation by the small-group market.

Health care costs consume a growing percent of the U.S. gross domestic product and individuals pay all costs, either through taxes, reduced wages, or direct out-of-pocket and premium payments. In a recent HCFO-funded study, researchers explored the distribution of the individual family’s financial burden from the combination of public and private health care spending.