SANTA CLARA, Calif., Nov. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Results from a new survey released today by eHealth, Inc. (NASDAQ: EHTH) (eHealth.com) show that consumers not receiving government subsidies to lower their premiums are more likely to switch health plans during the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA’s) current open enrollment period.
“For years we’ve encouraged people who buy health insurance on their own to review their options every year during open enrollment season,” said eHealth CEO Scott Flanders. “It’s encouraging to hear that most intend to do just that in a year when many new plan choices are available. While premiums may be going down for many next year, our recent analysis shows that many will face increased out-of-pocket costs, which is another reason to reconsider their coverage choices.”
Highlights from the survey:
— Most people enrolled in ACA plans intend to shop during open enrollment: Nearly eight in ten respondents (79%) intend to review their 2020 coverage options before December 15, 2019.
— Those not receiving government subsidies are more inclined to switch plans: 42% of those not receiving government subsidies say they’re likely to switch to a new plan, compared to 35% of subsidy recipients.
— Unsubsidized consumers are significantly less happy with premiums: 76% of those receiving government subsidies express satisfaction with their monthly premium, compared to 33% of those not receiving subsidies.
The nationwide open enrollment period for 2020 health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act is scheduled to continue through December 15, 2019. For many consumers, this may be their only chance to review their coverage options and pick a new individual or family plan for the year.
Findings are based on a voluntary survey of consumers who purchased ACA-compliant health insurance coverage at eHealth.com. A total of 508 responses were collected.
About eHealth
eHealth, Inc. (NASDAQ: EHTH) owns eHealth.com, a leading private online health insurance exchange where individuals, families and small businesses can compare health insurance products from brand-name insurers side by side and purchase and enroll in coverage online and over the phone. eHealth offers thousands of individual, family and small business health plans underwritten by many of the nation’s leading health insurance companies. eHealth (through its subsidiaries) is licensed to sell health insurance in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. eHealth also offers educational resources, exceptional telephonic support, and powerful online and pharmacy-based tools to help Medicare beneficiaries navigate Medicare health insurance options, choose the right plan and enroll in select plans online or over the phone through Medicare.com (www.Medicare.com), eHealthMedicare.com (www.eHealthMedicare.com), GoMedigap (www.goMedigap.com) and PlanPrescriber.com (www.PlanPrescriber.com).