Exhibit 1. More Adults Who Visited the Marketplaces Found It
Easy to Compare Benefits and Costs of Plans; Few Found It
Easy to Compare Plans by Providers Available
How easy or difficult was it to compare the . . . of different insurance plans?
Very difficult or impossible
Premium
costs
Oct. 2013
Dec. 2013
April–June 2014
Benefits
covered
Oct. 2013
Dec. 2013
April–June 2014
Potential out-ofpocket costs*
Oct. 2013
Dec. 2013
April–June 2014
Doctors, clinics,
hospitals available
April–June 2014
Somewhat difficult
27
Somewhat easy
25
18
19
21
30
31
32
22
25
19
25
19
11 30
24
20
43
47
28
20
51
54
47
31
27
24
20
26
23
14
19 34
22
16 38
48
28
20
49
25
25
52
23
19
42
38
33
58
51
47
24
16
Very easy
14
37
21
26
37
Percent adults ages 19–64 who went to marketplace
Note: The sampling techniques for the October and December 2013 surveys were different from those in April–June 2014. Bars may not sum to
100 percent because of “don’t know” responses or refusal to respond; segments may not sum to subtotals because of rounding.
* Potential out-of-pocket costs from deductibles and copayments.
Source: The Commonwealth Fund Affordable Care Act Tracking Surveys, Oct. 2013, Dec. 2013, and April–June 2014.
51
57
Exhibit 2. More Adults Found It Easy to Find Plans They Needed
and Could Afford by End of Open Enrollment
How easy or difficult was it to find . . . ?
Very difficult or impossible
A plan you
could afford
Oct. 2013
Dec. 2013
61
40
58
April–June 2014
A plan with
the type of
coverage
you need
Oct. 2013
Dec. 2013
April–June 2014
Somewhat difficult
21
39
54
56
50
14
20
35
19
22
38
19
27
29
21
Very easy
30
16
19
33
60
Somewhat easy
37
17
43
21
16
21
19
17
26
38
36
20
46
Percent adults ages 19–64 who went to marketplace
Note: The sampling techniques for the October and December 2013 surveys were different from those in April–June 2014. Bars may not sum to
100 percent because of “don’t know” responses or refusal to respond; segments may not sum to subtotals because of rounding.
Source: The Commonwealth Fund Affordable Care Act Tracking Surveys, Oct. 2013, Dec. 2013, and April–June 2014.
Exhibit 3. More Adults with Lower Incomes Found It Easy to
Find an Affordable Plan Than Did Adults with Higher Incomes
How easy or difficult was it to find a plan you could afford?
Very difficult or impossible
Total
Below 138% FPL
400% FPL or more
30
49
138%–249% FPL
250%–399% FPL
35
54
52
60
61
31
40
45
Somewhat difficult
19
22
19
25
Somewhat easy
21
24
22
20
22
20
22
16
16
19
43
17
49
42
39
36
Percent adults ages 19–64 who went to marketplace
Notes: FPL refers to federal poverty level. Bars may not sum to 100 percent because of “don’t know” responses or refusal to respond;
segments may not sum to subtotals because of rounding.
Source: The Commonwealth Fund Affordable Care Act Tracking Survey, April–June 2014.
Very easy
Exhibit 4. More than Three of Five Adults Who Tried to Find Out
About Their Eligibility for Financial Assistance or Medicaid
Said It Was Easy to Do So
Did you try to find out if you are either eligible for
financial assistance to help pay for your plan,
or if you are eligible for Medicaid?
Did not try to
find out if
eligible for
financial
assistance or
Medicaid
35%
Tried to find out
if eligible for
financial
assistance or
Medicaid
63%
Don’t know
or refused
2%
Adults ages 19–64 went to marketplace
Note: Segments may not sum to 100 percent because of rounding.
Source: The Commonwealth Fund Affordable Care Act Tracking Survey, April–June 2014.
How easy or difficult was it to find out if you are
eligible for financial assistance or for Medicaid?
Somewhat
easy
30%
Very easy
33%
Somewhat
difficult
18%
Very
difficult
18%
Don’t know
or refused
1%
Adults ages 19–64 who went to
marketplace and tried to find out
about eligibility for financial assistance
or Medicaid
Exhibit 5. A Majority of Adults Who Visited the Marketplace
Rated Their Experience as Fair or Poor
Overall, how would you describe your experience in trying to get health insurance
through the marketplace in your state?
Poor
62
Total
Democrat
Republican
Independent
22
52
53
76
63
65
27
28
38
26
27
27
Excellent
11 38
27
30
23
38
55
State marketplace
Federal marketplace
35
Good
Fair
32
17
15
7
27
24
9 37
10 44
33
23
47
11
34
Percent adults ages 19–64 who went to marketplace
Notes: Bars may not sum to 100 percent because of “don’t know” responses or refusal to respond; segments may not sum to subtotals because of rounding.
Source: The Commonwealth Fund Affordable Care Act Tracking Survey, April–June 2014.
Exhibit 6. Premiums and Cost Exposure Were the Most Important
Factors in Plan Selection
What was the most important factor in your decision about which plan to select?
Amount of
deductible and
other
copayments
34%
Amount of
premium
38%
Don’t know or refused
4%
Did not formally
select a plan
1%
Preferred
provider* included
in network
20%
Other
4%
Adults ages 19–64 who selected a private plan through the marketplace
Note: Segments may not sum to 100 percent because of rounding.
* Actual question wording: preferred doctor, health clinic, or hospital included in plan’s network.
Source: The Commonwealth Fund Affordable Care Act Tracking Survey, April–June 2014.
Exhibit 7. Adults with Marketplace Coverage with Incomes
Under 250 Percent of Poverty Paid Monthly Premiums
Comparable to Those with Employer Coverage
$1 to less than $125
Pays nothing
$125 or more
Don’t know or refused
All adults
Employer coverage
26
Marketplace coverage
35
16
23
44
15
30
10
Adults with incomes
below 250% FPL
Employer coverage
32
Marketplace coverage
32
20
0
18
50
25
18
23
50
75
Percent adults ages 19–64 with single policies
Note: FPL refers to federal poverty level. 250% of the poverty level is $28,725 for an individual or $58,875 for a family of four.
Bars may not sum to 100 percent because of rounding.
Source: The Commonwealth Fund Affordable Care Act Tracking Survey, April–June 2014.
8
100
Exhibit 8. Three of Five Adults with Marketplace Coverage
Found It Easy to Pay Their Premiums
How easy or difficult is it for you to afford the premium costs for your health insurance?
Very difficult or impossible
All adults
Somewhat difficult
Employer coverage
Marketplace coverage
Adults with incomes
below 250% FPL
Adults with incomes
of 250% FPL or more
25 6 19
37 8
30
Employer coverage
38 12
25
Marketplace coverage
33 6
27
Employer coverage
Marketplace coverage
44 9
Somewhat easy
38
Very easy
40
20
37
25
43
75
37
61
62
22
20 4 16
38
42
35
36
18 54
65
79
Percent adults ages 19–64 who pay all or some of premium
Note: FPL refers to federal poverty level. 250% of the poverty level is $28,725 for an individual or $58,875 for a family of four.
Bars may not sum to 100 percent because of “don’t know” responses or refusal to respond; segments may not sum to subtotals because of rounding.
Source: The Commonwealth Fund Affordable Care Act Tracking Survey, April–June 2014.
Exhibit 9. Adults with Low and Moderate Incomes
Who Had Marketplace Coverage Had Deductibles
Comparable to Those in Employer Plans
No deductible
$1 to less than $500
$1,000 or more
$500 to less than $1,000
Don’t know or refused
Adults with incomes
below 250% FPL
Employer coverage
Marketplace coverage
19
22
17
25
11
22
18
27
20
20
Adults with incomes
of 250% FPL or more
Employer coverage
20
Marketplace coverage
5 5
0
23
7
14
30
59
25
50
12
24
75
Percent adults ages 19–64
Note: FPL refers to federal poverty level. 250% of the poverty level is $28,725 for an individual or $58,875 for a family of four.
Bars may not sum to 100 percent because of rounding.
Source: The Commonwealth Fund Affordable Care Act Tracking Survey, April–June 2014.
100
Exhibit 10. More Than Two-Thirds of Adults with
Marketplace Coverage Rated Their Health Insurance as
Excellent, Very Good, or Good
Now thinking about (your current health insurance coverage/all the health insurance you have combined)
how would you rate it?
Poor
Fair
Very good
Good
Excellent
All adults
Employer
Marketplace
12 3 10
15
22 7
22
27
34
27
30
14
86
68
Adults with incomes below 250% FPL
21 3
20 5
Employer
Marketplace
18
15
24
22
35
76
17
29
19
70
Adults with incomes of 250% FPL or more
Employer
Marketplace
27
11
82 6
16
21
34
36
35
24
91
4 64
Percent adults ages 19–64
Note: FPL refers to federal poverty level. 250% of the poverty level is $28,725 for an individual or $58,875 for a family of four.
Bars may not sum to 100 percent because of “don’t know” responses or refusal to respond; segments may not sum to subtotals because of rounding.
Source: The Commonwealth Fund Affordable Care Act Tracking Survey, April–June 2014.
Exhibit 11. A Majority of Adults with Marketplace Coverage
Were Confident They Could Afford Care They Needed or
Get High-Quality Care
How confident are you that if you become seriously ill you will be able to . . . ?
Not at all confident
Not very confident
Somewhat confident
Very confident
Afford the care you need
Employer
Marketplace
Medicaid
Uninsured
73
18 8 10
30
18
12
38
25
13
53
20
36
34
31
15 10 25
15 7 9
27 9
18
31 15
16
35
27
38
38
39
81
45
70
36
60
29
Get high-quality care
Employer
Marketplace
Medicaid
Uninsured
63
24
84
46
33
26
13
71
65
36
Percent adults ages 19–64
Note: Bars may not sum to 100 percent because of “don’t know” responses or refusal to respond; segments may not sum to subtotals because of rounding.
Source: The Commonwealth Fund Affordable Care Act Tracking Survey, April–June 2014.