The high cost of individual insurance policies, and common underwriting practices that exclude many applicants with certain health conditions, has made these plans an inadequate substitute for group coverage. In this election season, a number of legislators and candidates have proposed to address the problem by reorganizing and regulating the individual and small-group markets through the creation of diverse risk pools for individuals and small businesses. As part of its new universal coverage law, Massachusetts lawmakers created such a market—an insurance connector. This study will evaluate the issues involved in implementing a connector on the national level and how it could be designed to improve the accessibility and affordability of coverage, especially for the uninsured and underinsured. The project team also will consider strategies to adjust or equalize risk across plans to encourage insurers to compete on the basis of quality, rather than risk avoidance.