Health Care Costs
The California Association of Health Plans' Policy Unit provides research and data on the major health policy issues facing the industry today. In this section, you can access fact sheets, issue briefs, and other resources to learn more about topics of interest to insiders and the public alike.
Prescription Drug Mandates and the Cost to California (May 2010) - California's legislature is currently considering four bills that would increase health care costs for employers and individuals by mandating coverage that favors certain brand-name drugs and limiting the use of cheaper generics. This fact sheet examines the impact of prescription drug mandates and provides a summary of these bills.
Rate Regulation Does Not Impact the Price of Healthcare (February 2010) - The price of health insurance premiums varies among states that regulate premiums rates. This fact sheet examines premiums in the individual and employer-sponsored insurance markets and shows that premium rates vary widely whether rates are regulated in a state or not.
Prescription Drug Formularies: Value to the Consumer (June 2009) - CAHP's member health plans provide pharmaceutical benefits through an extensive process intended to ensure that patients receive safe, effective and cost-effective treatment for their conditions. This fact sheet provides background on prescription drug formularies and the value provided to health plan consumers.
The High Cost of Benefit Mandates - 2009 (May 2009) - The impact of benefit mandate bills being proposed in the current legislative session are detailed in the 2009 edition of this fact sheet. CAHP, in the interest of member plans and their members, opposes any benefit mandates that impact Knox-Keene licensed plans because they result in higher premiums for individuals and employers and can lead to individuals losing coverage because of the cost impacts of higher premiums.
Gender Rating in the Individual Market (March 2009) - As the issue of gender rating becomes a growing topic of interest for legislators and members of the media, CAHP provides this issue brief to address the differences in the cost of care between sexes as well as providing health plan's perspective on the consequences of community rating.
The Rising Cost of Health Care: Causes (Updated January 2009) - Document detailing health care cost drivers and breaks down the actual administrative costs of the health plan dollar.
The Rising Cost of Health Care: Solutions (Updated January 2009) - Document summarizes ten ways to cut health care costs and reduce premiums.
Single-Payer Health Care System (July 2008) - Fact sheet summarizes the Legislative Analyst's Office's estimates of the cost of a single-payer health care system, as proposed by SB 840 (Kuehl). The system would cost $20 billion annually and be funded by substantial tax increases. Yet, the system would result in a $40 billion budget shortfall after just one year of operation.
The Health Care Premium Dollar (June 2008) - Using PricewaterhouseCoopers data, fact sheet demonstrates that 90 percent of the growth in health care premiums can be attributed to rising medical costs, which constitute $.87 of the premium dollar while administrative costs constitute just $.13.
The High Cost of Benefit Mandates (April 2008) - Fact sheet points out that the one dozen benefit mandates moving through the legislature will significantly limit consumer choice, increase premiums and have a cumulative fiscal impact of over $1.7 billion annually.
California's Competitive Individual Market (March 2008) - Fact sheet demonstrates the value of California's health insurance products and how premiums prices in California are consistently in line with the national average.
Rising Health Care Costs: CMS' National Health Care Spending Projections: 2008-2017 (March 2008) - Issue brief chronicles the acceleration of national health care spending predicted by CMS through the next decade and addresses the major cost drivers: baby boomers, medical costs, and increased utilization.
Employer Health Benefits Survey (January 2008) - Fact sheet uses California HealthCare Foundation's "California Employer Health Benefits Survey" to demonstrate that - on account of increased portions of premiums going toward doctors, hospitals, prescription drugs and outpatient care - California premiums continue to grow at a rate outpacing the national average.
