RTI uses cookies to offer you the best experience online. By clicking “accept” on this website, you opt in and you agree to the use of cookies. If you would like to know more about how RTI uses cookies and how to manage them please view our Privacy Policy here. You can “opt out” or change your mind by visiting: http://optout.aboutads.info/. Click “accept” to agree.
Tobacco surcharges on 2015 health insurance plans sold in federally facilitated marketplaces
Variations by age and geography and implications for health equity
Liber, A. C., Drope, J. M., Graetz, I., Waters, T. M., & Kaplan, C. M. (2015). Tobacco surcharges on 2015 health insurance plans sold in federally facilitated marketplaces: Variations by age and geography and implications for health equity. American journal of public health, 105, S696-S698. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2015.302694
In 2014, few health insurance plans sold in the Affordable Care Act's Federally Facilitated Marketplaces had age-dependent tobacco surcharges, possibly because of a system glitch. The 2015 tobacco surcharges show wide variation, with more plans implementing tobacco surcharges that increase with age. This underscores concerns that older tobacco users will find postsubsidy health insurance premiums difficult to afford. Future monitoring of enrollment will determine whether tobacco surcharges cause adverse selection by dissuading tobacco users, particularly older users, from buying health insurance.