02338cam a2200397 i 4500001001900000003000500019008004100024010001300065020001500078027002000093035002000113037001100133040001900144043001200163050002200175100003200197245008400229264003700313300002700350336002600377337002600403337002800429338003600457338002700493490003900520500001700559504004900576520100000625530005801625588004701683650003001730650003801760710002201798710006101820856005901881rnd000000000047166RAND920212s1981    cau      b    000 0 eng d  a81011897  a0833003429  aRAND/R-2753-HHS  a(Sirsi) a188159  c$20.00  aCstmoRcCstmoR  an-us--- 4aHG9396b.M27 19811 aMarquis, M. Susan.eauthor.10aConsumers' knowledge about their health insurance coverage /cM. Susan Marquis. 1aSanta Monica, CA :bRAND,c1981.  axii, 49 pages ;c23 cm  atextbtxt2rdacontent  acomputerbc2rdamedia  aunmediatedbn2rdamedia  aonline resourcebcr2rdacarrier  avolumebnc2rdacarrier1 aHealth insurance experiment series  a"July 1981."  aIncludes bibliographical references (p. 49).  aThis report describes how much families know about their health insurance coverage and investigates whether consumer education and simplified benefit structures would improve knowledge.  Families' perceptions about their insurance benefits were measured in two household surveys administered in six sites.  Knowledge was assessed by comparing families' responses with policy data collected from the carrier.  The vast majority of families understand insurance policies that specify one or two parameters in their benefit provisions.  However, more complex payment structures are not well understood.  Increased exposure to the plans' information leads to increased knowledge, suggesting that education programs could improve the general level of knowledge.  The author concludes that if market strategies for allocating medical resources are pursued, simplifying insurance benefit structures and consumer education would aid consumers in making more informed economic choices about medical care.  aAlso available on the internet via WWW in PDF format.  aDescription based on print version record. 0aConsumerszUnited States. 0aInsurance, HealthzUnited States.2 aRand Corporation.1 aUnited States.bDepartment of Health and Human Services.41yOnline Accessuhttp://www.rand.org/pubs/reports/R2753/