The results of a new report suggest that premiums are so affordable through the federal and state exchanges, companies that provide employee benefits to their workers may decide to encourage them to utilize these marketplaces if they want to save money.
The analysis, performed by professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, forecasted that once it becomes an option in 2017, employers that make coverage available to their staff may decide to move these plans into the exchanges or recommend that their workers shop there.
This was determined after analyzing the average for employer-sponsored plans versus those that are offered via the Affordable Care Act. PwC's numbers showed that the average annual cost for policies through one's workplace were approximately $6,100 versus about $5,850 – a 4 percent difference.
"There's been a perception that the plans on the exchanges were not a good deal, that they were either a lot more expensive, or didn't provide much in the way of coverage," Ceci Connolly, managing director of PwC's Health Research Institute. "The exchanges are competitive and even cheaper in some instances."
However, the report stipulated that there's no knowing whether these averages will hold over time, as average health care costs can rise due to a number of different variables.
What may influence the direction of premiums through the state and federally facilitated marketplaces is how many young people decide to enroll in a health plan. Much of the funding for the ACA relies on individuals who are 18 to 24 years old, a segment of society that's typically healthy. Their payments will be necessary to help pay for older individuals, who tend to require more well-being services.
Perhaps with this as a motivation, Enroll America and the Ad Council recently launched a nationwide campaign, advising uninsured Americans to get themselves covered through the ACA before March 31.
