America's Health Insurance Plans says the free market is working well for the 16 million Americans who get their health coverage from the non-group health insurance market.[@@]
Researchers at AHIP, Washington, conducted their latest individual health market study using figures for the 12-month period ending in June 2004. AHIP researchers used data for the 12-month period ending in April 2002 when they completed the previous individual health market study.
Between April 2004 and June 2004, the average price for individual health coverage increased 9.6%, to $2,268, while the average price for family coverage increased about 10%, to $4,424, according to AHIP researchers.
But AHIP notes that non-group coverage is still much less expensive than employer-sponsored coverage, which costs an average of $3,696 for each individual employee covered and $9,948 for each family covered.
"The individual market is playing a vital and increasingly important role in our nation's health care system," says AHIP president Karen Ignagni
