We Are Bad At Buying Insurance?

That's Jared Bernstein's argument. Austin Frakt nods:

If consumers were so good at buying health insurance, we’d be getting good deals right now. Maybe the reason we don’t is because, for most subject to the commercial insurance market, employers are in the middle. But don’t employers want good deals too? Of course they do! Moreover, they have more market power to get them than do individuals. That must count for something.

Derek Thompson covers neighboring territory.