Americans Seriously Confused About Key Healthcare Policies, Study Finds

Study Reveals Severe Healthcare Illiteracy 66 "The [study] results are worrisome because the success of the Affordable Care Act hinges on competition among insurers lowering premiums and increasing the quality of coverage. This only happens when people know what they're choosing. There is no incentive for insurers to offer their best plans if people are not making informed decisions when choosing among those plans." Silvia Helena Barcellos, an economist with the USC Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research Many Americans cannot describe a deductible 42% Cannot describe a deductible The problem is far worse among uninsured Americans. A whopping 68% of uninsured Americans cannot describe what a deductible is. 68% Cannot describe deductible 62% Did not know that a HMO plan has greater restrictions than a PPO plan. 37% Did not know that there was a penalty for not having health insurance 41% Of those with incomes between 100% and 250% of the Federal Poverty Line knew they could be eligible for subsidies in the exchanges. Source: http://healthpolicy.usc.edu/Newsltem.aspx?ID=91 © 2014 Additive Analytics Create infographics infogr.am