Health Care Reform Through the Eyes of Patients: A Qualitative Look at Medicaid Redesign

Abstract

This research examines consumer choice in Medicaid insurance plans. As part of the 2005 Federal Deficit Reduction Act, a number of states have implemented new Medicaid programs targeted to a subset of the Medicaid population. These programs offer consumers a choice of plans and this research examines consumer choice in one state's program. As part of a broader survey, participants were given the opportunity to explain, in their own words, why they selected their plan. We systematically interpret this qualitative data and then develop a series of propositions relating to Medicaid health care plan choice and marketing/public policy issues surrounding this choice.

KEYWORDS:

• Medicaid redesign
• consumer choice
• public heath insurance

Acknowledgments

This study was funded by a grant from the West Virginia Bureau of Medical Services. The authors would like to thank Tami Gurley Calvez and Adam Pellillo for their comments and suggestions.