Majority of U.S. Residents Happy With Exchange Plans, Poll Finds
A majority of U.S. residents who purchased coverage through the Affordable Care Act's insurance exchanges during the initial open enrollment period said they are happy with their plans, according to a Commonwealth Fund survey, The Hill reports (Ferris, The Hill, 9/18).
For the survey, researchers interviewed 4,425 U.S. residents ages 19 to 64 between April and June.
Of the respondents who purchased exchange coverage, the survey found that:
- 71% expressed confidence they would receive high-quality care;
- 70% expressed confidence they could afford needed care;
- 68% rated their plans as good, very good or excellent (Commonwealth Fund release, 9/18); and
- 61% said their plans were affordable, with low-income respondents being more likely to say their plans were affordable (The Hill, 9/18).
Among respondents who shopped for coverage via an exchange:
- 57% said it was easy to compare plans' premium costs;
- 48% said it was easy to compare plans' potential out-of-pocket costs;
- 47% said it was easy to compare plans' benefits (Commonwealth Fund release, 9/18);
- 43% said it was easy to find at least one affordable plan; and
- About 40% said they were satisfied with their experience shopping for coverage.
Overall, young adults were more likely than other consumers to rate their experience shopping for exchange plans as either good or excellent.
In addition, the survey found that nearly 75% of Republicans said they were dissatisfied with their experience shopping for coverage, compared with 52% of Democrats (The Hill, 9/18).
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