More than 60 percent of consumers enrolled in Medicaid or Affordable Care Act marketplace plans in 2016 said they had received medical care that was previously inaccessible or unaffordable, according to a Commonwealth Fund survey.
The majority of respondents in both types of plans were uninsured prior to obtaining marketplace or Medicaid coverage and more than half of respondents had been uninsured for more than two years. Eighty-four percent of respondents indicated their access to care had either improved or remained the same under their new plan.
Satisfaction was notably high among both types of plans, with 82 percent of respondents reporting they were either "very satisfied" or "somewhat satisfied" with their health insurance. The results aligned with a survey released on Friday by the Kaiser Family Foundation that found more than two-thirds of consumers with marketplace plans or non-marketplace ACA-compliant plans were satisfied with their coverage.
"This [report] doesn't mean that the law is working well for every single person," Sara Collins, vice president of The Commonwealth Fund told the Los Angeles Times. "But in general, it seems to be enabling people to get the healthcare that they need."
Previous reports have indicated exchange plan satisfaction rivals that of employer plans, and care is equally accessible. Immigrants, minorities and low-wage worker have experienced notable spikes in health insurance coverage rate under the ACA.
For more:
- here's the Commonwealth Fund survey
- read the LA Times article
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