Suppose a large firm allows its employees to choose whether to participate in its health
insurance plan. The firm is trying to decide between two plans: Plan I has a low
monthly premium but a high deductible, and Plan II has a high monthly premium but a
low deductible. Under which plan is adverse selection likely to be a bigger problem?
A) Plan I because it is likely to draw participants who expect high medical costs. This
group expects to consume much health care services and therefore prefer low
deductibles.
B) Plan II because it is likely to draw participants who expect high medical costs.
Healthy individuals who do not expect to consume much health care services will not
be willing to pay the high premiums.
C) Plan I because it is likely to draw the relatively healthy employees who do not
expect to spend much on health care. Because the monthly premiums are low, the
insurance company has to bear a bigger financial burden in the event of serious
illnesses.
D) Plan II because it is likely to draw employees who tend to over-consume health care
services because of the low deductible. Insurance companies are likely to end up paying
out more claims than the premiums they collect.