Health Insurance Market Data for Journalists

HealthPocket’s Research & Data division is one of the leading sources of analyses on the current US health insurance market as well as pending market changes under the Affordable Care Act. Our nonpartisan studies have been cited by top journalistic organizations across the nation. Given that members of the media often require unavailable collections of health insurance market data to deepen news features, HealthPocket offers journalists a free service supplying regional health insurance market data upon request.

Specifically, for a given state or a city HealthPocket can use its database containing over 15,000 health plans in the individual, small group, and Medicare Parts C & D markets to answer journalists’ questions such as:

• What is the average premium in my region and how far apart is the lowest premium versus the highest premium?
• What do plans’ charge in copayments for doctor visits?
• How high are coinsurance charges for more extensive medical services like surgery?
• What are the limits on out-of-pocket costs in my region and how does it compare to another region?
• What percentage of plans cover a particular benefit?

The data can be aggregated or presented unaggregated at the plan level (which would include insurance company name and plan name), depending on the need of the journalist.

HealthPocket places no restrictions on how the data may be used. HealthPocket only requires that the source of the data be cited according to HealthPocket citation guidelines. HealthPocket’s interest in providing data is to promote consumerism in healthcare, the movement to increase transparency in the healthcare market in order for consumers to make wiser and more cost effective healthcare decisions. Below are some examples of consumer advocacy research HealthPocket has performed with the health insurance market data.

• Health Insurance Declination Rates
• Age, Gender, & Health Insurance Premium
• Are Profits Making Health Insurance Unaffordable?
• Essential Benefit Coverage

Data

HealthPocket’s data comes from health insurance plan records captured by the Department of Health & Human Services. HealthPocket provides data in comma separated value (CSV) format so it can be manipulated within standard spreadsheet programs.

Contact

Data requests should be sent to data@healthpocket.com. Requests should include the following information:

• Your name
• Your email address
• News organization or web site intending to publish the data
• A description of the health insurance market data you would like including:
  • Market (e.g. Individual & Family health insurance)
  • Region (e.g. Los Angeles, CA)
  • Attributes to be collected (e.g. monthly premium or maternity benefits coverage)