Six Economic Facts about Health Care and Health Insurance Markets After the Affordable Care Act

Through reforms to cost containment and expanded access to health insurance plans, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has begun to shape the delivery and cost of health care services to Americans. Many of these reforms are still taking hold, and it is too soon to completely know how they are affecting the health care system. But looking beyond these considerations, it appears that many enduring economic challenges persist in the markets that provide health care and health insurance to consumers. This paper offers six economic facts that highlight continuing challenges and complexities in health care and health insurance markets on which the policy debate should focus.