Health insurance status plays a major role in consumer satisfaction with the U.S. healthcare system, according to a Gallup poll conducted mid-March and released today.
The phone survey of more than 1,540 adults found 66 percent said they are satisfied with how the healthcare system is working for them. Of those people with insurance, 72 percent said they were satisfied with healthcare. But only 32 percent of those who remain uninsured said they were satisfied.
Seniors aged 65 and older--who are eligible for Medicare--reported the highest rate of satisfaction with healthcare, at 80 percent. Young adults aged 18 to 29 followed with 73 percent reporting satisfaction--even though they're less likely to have coverage. Moreover, 69 percent of respondents gave their personal healthcare coverage a rating of "excellent" or "good."
Gallup noted that while the survey did not mention the Affordable Care Act, insurance or politics, there was a split along party lines: Democrats were significantly more likely report satisfaction with healthcare than their Republican counterparts.
Showing further proof that health insurance status drives consumer perceptions, J.D. Power's latest Member Health Plan Study showed concerns about not having enough health coverage send overall member satisfaction plummeting by 133 points. That survey suggested insurers should better communicate how their insurance works as well improve communication about programs and services that increase member engagement.
That's because the new consumer-oriented healthcare market requires insurers to deliver clarity early on in the consumer journey, according to a January survey by Siegel+Gale.. Experiences related to clarity and ease of use have the greatest potential to affect customer satisfaction and loyalty, FierceHealthPayer previously reported.
For more:
- here's the Gallup poll