ACA Enrollees More Satisfied Than Those With Employer-Based Plans

U.S. residents who purchased coverage through the Affordable Care Act's exchanges generally are more satisfied with their coverage than individuals with other types of insurance, according to a J.D. Power survey released Thursday, The Hill reports.

Survey Details

For the survey, J.D. Power polled more than 3,000 individuals with health coverage. The survey considered factors such as:

• Claims processing;
• Cost;
• Coverage; and
• Customer service.

Survey Findings

According to the survey, individuals with exchange coverage on average rated their satisfaction with their health plans over the past year at 696 out of 1,000 possible points. In comparison, individuals with employer-sponsored health plans on average rated their coverage at 679 out of 1,000.

The survey also found that exchange enrollees' satisfaction with their health plans increased from 2013 to 2014. New enrollees rated their experience with the plans at 670 out of 1,000 points for 2014, an increase of 55 points compared with 2013. Individuals who previously had been enrolled in exchange coverage gave higher satisfaction ratings than others, particularly among those who were automatically re-enrolled. Such enrollees on average rated their satisfaction at 744 out of 1,000.

The survey also found differences in exchange enrollees' satisfaction depending on whether they used the federal or a state exchange. Customers were most satisfied in the 10 states that have partnered with the federal government on their exchanges, with an average rating of 716 out of 1,000. Exchange enrollees who used the federal exchange were the second-most satisfied, with an average rating 699 out of 1,000. Those who used state-run exchanges were third-most satisfied, with an average rating of 683 out of 1,000.

Overall, the survey found that cost was the highest contributing factor to customer satisfaction among individuals with exchange coverage (Ferris, The Hill, 4/23).