Understanding Health Insurance Literacy: A Literature Review

The 2010 Affordable Care Act changed health insurance plans for both the insured and uninsured. Currently insured consumers need to understand changes that impact their purchase decisions, and newly eligible consumers need to understand how to purchase through the new health insurance marketplace. Health insurance literacy is a new concept that addresses the extent to which consumers can make informed purchase and use decisions. Consumers currently exhibit limited health insurance literacy. Researchers and educators need a comprehensive review of the literature and existing curriculum and materials to conduct research and to create and test educational programs that could increase health insurance literacy. This article provides a review of relevant literature and curricula. It offers implications for additional research, measurement of health insurance literacy, and development of educational programs to improve health insurance literacy in the United States.