1
Demand for Insurance:
Information and Complexity
Week 3A
Health Insurance in Reality
ECON 157 -- Professor Handel -- Week 3A
2
Health Insurance in Reality
• Last week we talked about key aspects of consumer demand for insurance
• Choice Under Uncertainty
• Risk Aversion
• Expected Utility
• Simple model of insurance with premium p paid up front and payout q if consumer gets sick
• Similar conceptually to health insurance in reality, but details in reality are different and introduce issues of limited information and choice complexity
ECON 157 -- Professor Handel -- Week 2B
3
Health Insurance: Theory and Practice
Last week:
Health Insurance Choice in Theory
This week:
Health Insurance Choice in Practice
ECON 157 -- Professor Handel -- Week 2B
4
Remember:
Expected Utility and Insurance Contracts
AF -- Actuarially fair & full
AP -- Actuarially fair & partial
A -- Uninsurance
U(AF) > U(AP) > U(A)
ECON 157 -- Professor Handel -- Week 2B
Insurance Contracts
More Complicated Than p and q?
5
ECON 157 -- Professor Handel -- Week 3A
6
Example: Berkeley Health Insurance
• In the U.S., 60% of people get health insurance from their employers
• UC Berkeley provides subsidized health insurance to employees
• UC Berkeley experience is typical of large employers in the U.S.:
• Employer contracts with insurers to offer insurance
• Insurers form plans by bargaining rates with doctors / providers
• Employer subsidizes consumer insurance premiums
• Employees choose yearly insurance plans
• Lots of questions we’re not going to answer today:
• Why do employers provide insurance?
• Are insurers providing actual insurance, or are employers?
• Today: consumer problem only
7
ECON 157 -- Professor Handel -- Week 3A
UC Berkeley Insurance Choices
• Let’s start with the easiest things: what are choices?
Monthly Medical Plan Choices & Premiums - $51,001–$101,000 Salary
Plan
Self
Self +
Child(ren)
Self +
Adult
Family
Blue Shield Health
Savings Plan
Employee Cost
UC Contribution
$45.72
$469.85
$82.30
$843.38
$103.49
$975.98
$140.06
$1,349.52
Health Net Blue &
Gold
Employee Cost
UC Contribution
$65.54
$545.46
$116.06
$981.83
$191.80
$1,088.67
$242.32
$1,525.04
Kaiser Permanente Employee Cost
UC Contribution
$47.83
$497.19
$86.09
$892.82
$108.10
$1,033.51
$146.35
$1,429.15
UC Care
Employee Cost
UC Contribution
$108.01
$545.46
$192.72
$981.83
$281.29
$1,088.67
$366.01
$1,525.04
Western Health
Advantage
Employee Cost
UC Contribution
$47.83
$516.38
$86.09
$927.69
$108.10
$1,074.27
$146.35
$1,485.59
Core
Employee Cost
UC Contribution
$0.00
$113.19
$0.00
$203.74
$0.00
$237.70
$0.00
$328.25
8
ECON 157 -- Professor Handel -- Week 3A
UC Berkeley Insurance Premiums
• So ..how much do I have to pay no matter what?
Monthly Medical Plan Choices & Premiums - $51,001–$101,000 Salary
Plan
Self
Self +
Child(ren)
Self +
Adult
Family
Blue Shield Health
Savings Plan
Employee Cost
UC Contribution
$45.72
$469.85
$82.30
$843.38
$103.49
$975.98
$140.06
$1,349.52
Health Net Blue &
Gold
Employee Cost
UC Contribution
$65.54
$545.46
$116.06
$981.83
$191.80
$1,088.67
$242.32
$1,525.04
Kaiser Permanente Employee Cost
UC Contribution
$47.83
$497.19
$86.09
$892.82
$108.10
$1,033.51
$146.35
$1,429.15
UC Care
Employee Cost
UC Contribution
$108.01
$545.46
$192.72
$981.83
$281.29
$1,088.67
$366.01
$1,525.04
Western Health
Advantage
Employee Cost
UC Contribution
$47.83
$516.38
$86.09
$927.69
$108.10
$1,074.27
$146.35
$1,485.59
Core
Employee Cost
UC Contribution
$0.00
$113.19
$0.00
$203.74
$0.00
$237.70
$0.00
$328.25
ECON 157 -- Professor Handel -- Week 3A
9
UC Berkeley Insurance -- Doctors
• Each insurance plan allows access to different, sometimes overlapping sets of physicians and medical providers
• So ..can I see the doctors I want to now?
• Not so easy to find
• Will I be able to see the doctors I want to if I get sick?
• Even harder