Americans are growing increasingly dissatisfied with the limited protections offered by short-term, limited-duration health plans, according to a Leukemia and Lymphoma Society report.
Short-term, limited-duration health plans are typically offered to those between more permanent plans, but their flexibility also exempts them from many of the protections given to consumers through the ACA. They may also leave patients with higher medical costs, according to the report.
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society commissioned PerryUndem and Bellwether Research for the report, which analyzed responses from 1,130 adults from Oct. 16-29, 2021.
Seven insights on short-term, limited-duration health plans:
1. The report said the rising popularity of short-term health plans could be tied to growing feelings that health insurance is unaffordable. Three in 4 respondents said health coverage was "unaffordable" to most Americans, while 1 in 3 respondents described it as "very unaffordable."
2. Hesitancy also comes from the fear of being "duped" into purchasing poor-quality coverage, with 92 percent of respondents sharing that fear.
3. Only 11 percent of respondents knew what a short-term health plan was, but 77 percent felt negatively about the plans after learning more.
4. Seventy-nine percent of adults wanted short-term plans to follow the same regulations imposed on traditional plans. This view held bipartisan support among respondents.
5. Seventy-nine percent also said they supported the government preventing short-term plan sales.
6. Support for regulation increased as respondent knowledge of short-term health plans increased.
7. The four key factors that drove a call for regulation included no limits to out-of-pocket costs, no protections for members with pre-existing conditions, no ability to appeal claims, and difficulty fighting unfair billing.