Research Report Narrow Networks, Access to Hospitals and Premiums: An Analysis of Marketplace Products in Six Cities
Rebecca Peters, John Holahan
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This report examines which hospitals are included within marketplace plans in six cities (Denver; New York City (Manhattan); Portland, Ore.; Providence; Baltimore; and Richmond, Va.). The report finds that nearly all insurers offering plans through the insurance Marketplaces in six cities include many highly ranked hospitals within their provider networks. The report also concludes that every hospital in the cities studied is included in at least one Marketplace plan network. The authors also looked at how the size of a plan's provider network affected the cost of premiums. The report shows that the size of a plan's network is not necessarily tied to premiums. The authors note that although narrowing networks (i.e., limiting the amount of providers covered under a specific plan) generally led to more-competitive, lower-cost premiums, some plans with broader networks had low premiums and some plans with narrow networks had high premiums.
Research Areas Health and health care
Tags Health insurance Health care delivery and payment Hospitals and physicians
Policy Centers Health Policy Center