Individual purchased healthcare insurance: Potential behaviors

The large role employers hold in the current system with respect to providing healthcare insurance for Americans under the age of 65 suggests the employer role may be targeted in healthcare reform efforts. The problem is that healthcare reform proposals targeting employer sponsored insurance (ESI) are based on employer and employee behaviors influenced only by the existing ESI healthcare system. Study findings suggest the following behaviors in a non-ESI healthcare system: (a) individuals would accept the responsibility and purchase individual healthcare insurance, (b) use of and demand for healthcare services would decline when individuals purchase healthcare insurance, and (c) employment status issues such as stability and tenure would be unchanged. Individual purchased healthcare insurance is identified as a positive alternative to ESI but considerable pre-work before changing to an individual purchased healthcare insurance system is recommended.