文章基本信息

标题：Changing Awareness of the Health Insurance Marketplace
本地全文：下载
作者：Thomas K. Bias ; Parul Agarwal ; Paula Fitzgerald 等
期刊名称：American journal of public health
印刷版ISSN：0090-0036
出版年度：2015
卷号：105
期号：Suppl 5
页码：S633-S636
DOI：10.2105/AJPH.2015.302844
语种：English
出版社：American Public Health Association
摘要：The Health Insurance Marketplace was designed to increase the affordability of health insurance. The success of the marketplace depends on people’s awareness and use of it. In a statewide mail survey of West Virginians, we found that respondents’ awareness of the West Virginia Health Insurance Marketplace increased from 2013 to 2014. However, large percentages of respondents continued to be unaware of the availability of federal subsidies and were unsure of their personal eligibility for these subsidies. It is essential that awareness and enrollment efforts continue and that they be expanded in novel ways to continue growth in access to health insurance through the marketplace. In 2014, more than 8 million Americans purchased coverage through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA; Pub L No. 111–148) Health Insurance Marketplace. Eighty-five percent received financial assistance, and approximately 40% were estimated as having been previously uninsured. 1 Financial subsidies target individuals above Medicaid eligibility requirements with incomes up to 400% of the federal poverty level. Although, when coupled with the recent Medicaid expansions that have occurred in many states, the Health Insurance Marketplace has had a strong impact on coverage, an estimated 16.3% of people aged 18 to 64 years remain uninsured. 2 This may be partially explained by a lack of awareness or interest in the marketplace. Here we describe changes in Health Insurance Marketplace awareness and interest, both of which are necessary precursors to enrollment, in West Virginia between the first and second enrollment periods. The marketplace was highly promoted in West Virginia through broadcast media there as well as in nearby major media markets such as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Grants supported enrollment: West Virginia awarded $4.5 million to Maximus to provide in-person assistance in Department of Health and Human Services offices, and the federal government awarded 3 navigator grants and more than $3.75 million to 25 health centers in the state. Other organizations and individuals, most notably West Virginians for Affordable Health Care and insurance agents, also worked to increase awareness.