Country: United States
Survey Organization: Social Science Research Solutions
Field Dates: December 11–29, 2013
Sample: A nationally representative sample of adults ages 19 to 29
Sample Size: Of the 3,805 interviews completed during this timeframe, 2,592 were completed with respondents ages 19 to 64. A total of 622 of these respondents reported that they were uninsured or that they had purchased health insurance through the individual market or through the new marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This sample of 622 adults potentially eligible for coverage under the ACA took The Commonwealth Fund’s Affordable Care Act Tracking Survey.
Interview Method: Nationally representative omnibus telephone survey conducted in English and Spanish. The landline portion of the survey achieved an 18.3 percent response rate and the cellular phone component achieved a 6.3 percent response rate.
A similar survey was conducted by SSRS from October 9 to 27, 2013. The October survey had a total sample of 682 respondents and an overall margin of sampling error of +/– 4.3 percent at the 95 percent confidence level. For more information on the October survey, please refer to: http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Publications/Data-Briefs/2013/Nov/Americans-Experiences-Marketplaces.aspx.
Results show that by the end of December, 24 percent of potentially eligible adults had visited a marketplace to find a plan. The first survey, conducted in October, had found that 17 percent of people potentially eligible for coverage had visited the marketplaces during the first month of open enrollment. By the end of December, 41 percent of visitors were ages 19 to 34, and 77 percent reported being in good health. People’s ability to compare benefits and premiums improved between October and December, but many reported challenges in plan selection. A majority of respondents say they are determined to gain coverage by the end of this year’s open enrollment period.