March 4, 2010: Edward Miller and the SHARE research team led by Vincent Mor have released an issue brief presenting summary findings from their evaluation of Rhode Island's HEALTHpact initiative.
HEALTHpact mandated that Rhode Island's health insurance carriers develop insurance products designed specifically to encourage take-up of coverage in the small-group market. To date, however, the program has reached less than 10% of its enrollment cap. Miller and co-authors conducted an evaluation of HEALTHpact to determine the reasons for the program's low take-up. They identify several key lessons learned from this evaluation, recommending that future small-group reforms (1) provide subsidies for coverage; (2) garner broker and insurer support; (3) ensure well-resourced government outreach and oversight; and (4) design wellness incentives carefully.
This research is based on 23 in-depth key informant interviews, document review and analysis of enrollment data, and the brief is based upon a longer, in-depth report.
Link to the issue brief, "Rhode Island's HEALTHpact Plan: Lessons for Small-Group Reform."