ACA options: Are healthcare’s uninsured just uninformed?
By - Finding the affordable and applicable health insurance is not always an easy task, and if a recent survey is any indication, a lack of information could be preventing Americans from choosing a health plan.
Over the past 11 months, the number of Americans without health insurance fell from 22 percent to 15 percent. However, approximately half of the uninsured – 46 percent – have still not heard of the individual mandate, according to a new Harris Poll survey conducted on behalf of the national non-profit Transamerica Center for Health Studies (TCHS). Additionally, 43 percent have not heard of the Exchanges where they may be eligible to purchase health insurance.
Even so, 78 percent of the newly insured are at least somewhat satisfied with the quality of the health care that they can access,” TCHS Executive Director Hector De La Torre said in a statement.
For the survey, 2,624 people between the ages of 18 and 64 were interviewed. Results were weighted as needed on income, education, gender, race/ethnicity, region, employment status, number of employees in company and health insurance status, according to TCHS.
The survey also showed that of the uninsured, 11 percent said they did not obtain insurance because it is too expensive. Twenty-seven percent said paying the tax penalty and health expenses costs less than paying for health insurance.
Moreover, only about 22 percent of uninsured Americans are currently able to afford routine health expenses, with just five percent currently saving for health care expenses.
Businesses were interviewed in a separate survey, and were also asked about the first year of the Affordable Care Act. Approximately one-third of organizations said they expect their companies to increase headcount in the next two years while accounting for the ACA. Additionally, 11 percent said they expect the number of employees at their company to decrease because of the ACA.
“It’s not surprising that small employers are the least informed about the ACA and health care options in general,” De La Torre said. “Aside from large employers being more informed and prepared for the mandate, they seem optimistic and are adding headcount despite the fact that they will have to insure those new employees in the coming years.”
For the business survey, 751 employer decision makers over the age of 18 were interviewed. Of those, 301 were considered small businesses – one to 49 people.
The second survey also showed that more employees believed that offering health insurance to all employees was the top benefits-related priority. Specifically, 12 percent of employers felt this way in 2014, compared to 6 percent in 2013.
