Health Equity

Harvard School of Public Health

2015 - $49,913

Choosing a health insurance plan is an important but challenging decision, especially for underserved populations as those from racial/ethnic minority groups, with low incomes, with a primary language other than English, who were previously uninsured, or have limited health literacy or numeracy

The president and Fellows of Harvard College of Public Health/ Department of Health Policy and Management are requesting $49,913 as co-funding for a consumer survey of 4,000 new enrollees in qualified health plans in two state-based health insurance marketplaces (2,000 in Connecticut and 2,000 in Washington). The survey will be adapted from the Harvard School of Public Health’s 2010 pilot study of enrollees in the Massachusetts exchange, and aims to understand consumers’ perceptions of their health plan choice dynamics, and the impact of the design of the marketplace on consumer experiences.

This grant initiative is aligned with CT Health’s health equity objective of supporting the delivery of integrated care, improving quality standards, and strengthening the safety net.

This project will provide rigorous data to identify problems that need to be addressed and strategies that have been effective for vulnerable populations in state-based health insurance marketplaces.

Grant funds will support personnel, data collection, and travel expenses.