Health Insurance Snapshot: eHealth Publishes Data on Average Costs and Common Qualifying Life Events for the Month of August 2015

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MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA --(Marketwired - September 21, 2015) - Today eHealth, Inc. EHTH (eHealth.com), the nation's first and largest private online health insurance marketplace, published an updated snapshot of the individually-purchased health insurance market outside of the nationwide open enrollment period. Highlights include average premiums and deductibles as well as the most common qualifying life events cited by consumers allowing them to purchase coverage outside of open enrollment.

Information published by eHealth today reflects trends and costs among consumers shopping at eHealth.com in the month of August 2015. It does not reflect average costs among shoppers utilizing government subsidies to help pay for premiums.

How Much Were Consumers Paying for Health Insurance On Average in August 2015(1)?



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Average monthly premium Average annual deductible
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Individual Plans $278 $3,841
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Family Plans $725 $7,037
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By comparison, the average monthly premiums in August 2014 were $264 for individuals and $695 for families. Average deductibles in August 2014 were $3,689 for individuals and $6.939 for families(2). For more information on average health insurance costs, refer to eHealth's Price Index.

What Kinds of Plans Are Consumers Selecting?
In the month of August 2015, eHealth shoppers selected plans in specific categories as shown(3):



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Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Catastrophic
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6% 16% 25% 40% 12%
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Qualifying Life Events: Why Are Consumers Shopping for New Coverage?
Outside of open enrollment, eHealth shoppers have been asked to indicate whether or not they have experienced a qualifying life event making them eligible to enroll in major medical coverage. In the month of August 2015, eHealth customers claimed qualifying life events as shown(4):



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"I recently lost or am losing coverage" 67%
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"Recent marriage" 3%
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"Permanent move to a new coverage area" 10%
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"Birth or adoption of a child" 2%
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"Other" 18%
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Of those who selected "other," many indicated life changes that may have been legitimate qualifying events while others reported personal challenges or life changes which did not always meet the law's criteria for qualifying events.

Notes:

(1) Based on analysis of plans chosen by health insurance shoppers at eHealth.com during the period from August 1 to August 31, 2015. These figures reflect only consumers who did not receive government subsidies.
(2) Based on analysis of plans chosen by health insurance shoppers at eHealth.com during the period from August 1 to August 31, 2014. These figures reflect only consumers who did not receive government subsidies.
(3) Individual and family health insurance plans combined. Figures are based on analysis of plans chosen by unsubsidized health insurance shoppers at eHealth.com during the period from August 1 to August 31, 2015. Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding.
(4) Based on inputs from eHealth.com visitors in the month of August 2015 who claimed a qualifying life event.

eHealth
eHealth, Inc. EHTH owns eHealth.com, the nation's first and largest private health insurance exchange where individuals, families and small businesses can compare health insurance products from leading insurers side by side and purchase and enroll in coverage online. eHealth offers thousands of individual, family and small business health plans underwritten by many of the nation's leading health insurance companies. eHealth (through its subsidiaries) is licensed to sell health insurance in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. eHealth also offers educational resources and powerful online and pharmacy-based tools to help Medicare beneficiaries navigate Medicare health insurance options, choose the right plan and enroll in select plans online through PlanPrescriber.com (www.PlanPrescriber.com), eHealthMedicare.com (www.eHealthMedicare.com) and Medicare.com (www.Medicare.com).

For more health insurance news and information, visit the eHealth consumer blog: Get Smart - Get Covered or visit eHealth's Consumer Resource Center.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

For media inquiries, please contact:

Sande Drew
DMA Communications for eHealth, Inc.
(916) 207-7674
sande.drew@ehealth.com

Nate Purpura
eHealth, Inc.
(650) 210-3115
nate.purpura@ehealth.com

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