Chapter 8 of the Wilensky and Teitelbaum text provides an in-depth look at the ways in which health insurance can impact consumer decision making about purchasing various coverage within the private insurance marketplace and the ways in which risk and uncertainty can impact decisions by both insurers and health consumer purchasers.
For this discussion, you will consider the following questions about the impact that insurance coverage can have on a health consumer’s use of care resources and what potential policy solutions could affect this going forward. In your initial discussion response address the following:

Do you think that health insurance can lead to consumers “purchasing” unnecessary or excessive health care services?
How might health care coverage affect a health consumer’s stake in the “quality” and “effectiveness” of the services received?
What can be the impact of consumer “cost-sharing” on both of these issues?
What would be the best coverage design to encourage proper use while discouraging improper use?
Do you think that current insurance designs achieve this “sweet spot” and if not, what could be done to get there?