A sizeable number of Americans getting health insurance through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act marketplaces don't fully understand their coverage, Drew Altman, president and CEO of the Kaiser Family Foundation, writes in The Wall Street Journal.
For instance, a Foundation survey found 46 percent of PPACA marketplace enrollees say they're getting a subsidy to help cover their premiums, while official numbers show 85 percent have received a subsidy. Furthermore, of those who know they're getting help with their premiums, 47 percent don't know the subsidy amount. "A political implication is that many people getting help from the [PPACA] don’t know it," Mr. Altman writes.
Furthermore, an Urban Institute study of people eligible for the PPACA marketplaces found a notable portion of those surveyed weren't confident in their understanding of a premium (36 percent), provider network (36 percent), deductible (31 percent), copayment (31 percent), or numerous other basic health insurance terms.
"People gaining coverage also have to understand the intricacies of provider networks in the plans they choose, especially if they have a health problem requiring specialty care," Mr. Altman writes. "Otherwise, they could face high out-of-pocket costs to see out-of-network providers."
As the newly insured navigate the healthcare system, the media, government, community organizations, and healthcare providers and professionals can all play a big part in remedying many enrollees' low health insurance literacy, according to Mr. Altman.