Regulation of the Individual Health Insurance Market

Several proposals to increase health coverage for the currently uninsured rely on encouragements to utilize and potentially expand the individual insurance market. In broadening health insurance coverage, it is important to understand the regulatory environment under which these proposals would be implemented. This paper reports on the unique features of the regulation in the individual market for private health insurance, how it differs from that of the market for group health plans, and the challenges and opportunities they present for expansion of health coverage to the uninsured. [PDF - 38 pages]