Jensen G A, Morrisey M A
Institute of Gerontology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202-3424, USA.
Inquiry. 1999 Summer;36(2):176-87.
Since 1989, states have enacted legislation to dismantle barriers facing small businesses that wish to purchase health insurance. Using data on the insurance offerings of 2,472 small firms (one to 49 employees) observed from 1989 to 1995, we assess whether state reforms encouraged more small firms to sponsor health benefits. We find that small group reforms did not spur uninsured firms to offer insurance. Firms without health insurance say that the high price of coverage is still the major barrier they face to offering a plan. Our findings suggest that the small group reforms within the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act are not likely to have an effect on the small group market. Most states already had implemented measures similar to those found in the act, and not much changed.
自1989年以来，各州已颁布立法，以消除希望购买医疗保险的小企业所面临的障碍。利用1989年至1995年期间观察到的2472家小公司（1至49名员工）的保险产品数据，我们评估了州改革是否鼓励了更多小公司提供健康福利。我们发现，小团体改革并未促使未参保的公司提供保险。没有医疗保险的公司表示，保险费用高昂仍是他们提供保险计划所面临的主要障碍。我们的研究结果表明，1996年《健康保险流通与责任法案》中的小团体改革不太可能对小团体市场产生影响。大多数州已经实施了与该法案中类似的措施，而且变化不大。
