Final answer:
When 15 out of 50 members of a group seeking health insurance have major health issues, the insurer is likely to increase premiums for the entire group to spread out the risk instead of excluding those members or charging them individually. The correct option is B..
Step-by-step explanation:
During the underwriting process for a group health policy, discovering that 15 out of 50 members have major health issues poses a potential problem of adverse selection where individuals with high health risks are more likely to seek insurance. In such cases, the insurer might opt to increase premiums for the entire group (Choice B).
They achieve this by calculating an actuarially fair premium, which spreads the risk across all members of the group. This action is in contrast to isolating those with pre-existing conditions or major health issues by excluding them from coverage or assigning higher deductibles specifically to them, which could be seen as discriminatory.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) aims to mitigate such issues by mandating coverage and preventing denial due to pre-existing conditions. Hence, the most likely response by the insurer in a regulated market, such as one following ACA guidelines, is to adjust the premium for the entire group. This reflects the insurer's assumptions about risk and the need to cover potential claims fairly, while also aligning with regulations that seek to ensure individuals with health issues are not unduly penalized or excluded from coverage.