Covered California Releases Report On Californians’ Knowledge of the Affordable Care Act In Advance of Upcoming Open Enrollment
Posted: 22 Oct 2015 10:58 AM PDT
- Awareness of Covered California has increased substantially since the exchange launched in 2013, and 85 percent of consumers now know about Covered California.
- Covered California is succeeding in reaching diverse audiences, with high awareness across racial and ethnic groups.
- Many Californians have learned about Covered California through coverage in the news media, which has been a critical tool for educating consumers. More Californians have been exposed to news coverage about Covered California (60 percent) than have seen advertising (56 percent).
- When Californians were exposed to news and advertising, most acted on that information: They discussed Covered California with friends and family, thought about purchasing and went to the CoveredCA.com website for more information.
- Of those who enrolled for the first time, the vast majority (85 percent) were very satisfied or somewhat satisfied with their experience on Covered California’s website.
The full survey results can be found at 2015 CA Affordable Care Act Consumer Tracking Survey, and summary slides about the major findings can be found at Californians Knowledge of the ACA.
“We feel good about the progress we are making on many fronts,” Lee said, “but the survey results also underscore that we have much work still to do.”
In particular, Lee highlighted the findings about uninsured consumers’ knowledge of the subsidy and of the tax penalty:
- Even with growing awareness, too many of the eligible uninsured — more than one-third — are not aware that Covered California can provide financial help to reduce the cost of their insurance.
- More uninsured consumers know about the tax penalty than know about the subsidy, even though the subsidy is a more important factor for those making the decision to buy insurance.
- Starting open enrollment with more than 500 storefront locations statewide — twice as many as at the start of last year’s open enrollment.
- Elevating brand names on the Covered California website to make sure people understand that the insurance they get through Covered California comes from insurers they know and trust.
- Changing the format of the online Shop and Compare Tool to make the bottom-line price for consumers more prominent.
- Promoting the fact that across the state Covered California will be offering optional adult dental coverage as an added benefit for those who enroll and that in some regions Covered California will offer coverage from two new health insurance companies, Oscar Health Plan of California and UnitedHealthcare Benefits Plan of California.
“Consumers will find new options and new innovations from the health plans offering coverage on the exchange,” Lee said. “Anyone who is uninsured or who buys in the individual market should visit our website at www.CoveredCA.com to explore their health insurance options.”
Lee said Covered California estimates that there are currently about 750,000 Californians eligible for subsidies, and it forecasts that between 295,000 and 450,000 consumers will newly enroll in coverage during open enrollment.
“We have a lot of momentum, and we are heading into our third enrollment season with a high level of public support,” Lee said. “The level of awareness is very high, but we still have work to do to get the word out that coverage is now affordable with financial help. ”
Covered California has a vast network of enrollment locations, and it’s easy for consumers to sign up and get help to enroll. For a list of Certified Insurance Agents, Navigators and other enrollment opportunities in their area, consumers should visit the “Find Local Help” section of CoveredCA.com.
More than 2 million people have purchased private health insurance from Covered California since it opened its doors in 2014, and an additional 2 million people have enrolled in Medi-Cal because of changes made as a result of the Affordable Care Act. Most of Covered California’s 1.3 million active members began the renewal process on Oct. 12.