GAO looks at trends in private health insurance market concentration

Enrollment in private health insurance plans remained concentrated among a small number of issuers in most states in 2014, according to a report released yesterday by the Government Accountability Office. The report looks at concentration in the individual, small group and large group markets in each state from 2011 through 2014, and changes in issuer participation in 2013 and 2014. “On average in each state and the District of Columbia, 11 or more issuers participated in each of three types of markets – individual, small group and large group – from 2011 through 2014,” the report states. “However, in most states, the three largest issuers in each market had at least an 80% share of the market during the period.” According to the report, enrollment in health plans offered through the newly established individual and small group exchanges was generally concentrated among fewer insurers than in the overall markets.