With the ACA's Open Enrollment Period Underway, eHealth Survey Explores Enrollees' Sentiments on Coronavirus and Health Reform

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Nov. 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today eHealth, Inc. EHTH (eHealth.com) released results from a new survey of more than 400 consumers enrolled in individual and family health insurance plans compliant with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The survey was conducted in the midst of the ACA's nationwide open enrollment period for 2021 coverage, which began November 1 and is scheduled to continmue through December 15, 2020.

Key findings from the survey:

• Nearly two thirds of ACA enrollees think the law needs to be revised: 64% feel the health reform law needs to be reworked to better serve consumers like themselves; 60% of those receiving federal subsidies to lower their premiums feel this way, as did 66% of those not receiving federal subsidies.
  
  
• Many express discomfort with the idea of getting a coronavirus vaccine this winter: 41% say they would feel either "very" or "somewhat" uncomfortable getting a new coronavirus vaccine this winter; Democratic voters are more likely than Republican voters to feel comfortable being immunized (66% vs. 51%).
  
  
• A strong majority support mandatory mask rules: 81% say masks should be required in public places where social distancing is difficult; 99% of likely Democratic voters favor mandatory mask rules, as do 64% of Republican voters.
  
  
• Many want access to non-standard coronavirus treatments: 41% want access to unproven or experimental treatments if they come down with the coronavirus.
  
  
• Democrats are much more likely to cite coronavirus as a major issue when voting this year: 46% of all voters say coronavirus was one of their top three issues when voting in this year's presidential election; 69% of likely Democratic voters say it was one of their top three issues, compared to 24% of likely Republican voters.

Read the full survey report.

Findings presented in this report are based on a voluntary survey of individual and family health insurance plan enrollees who purchased ACA-compliant health insurance plans through eHealth. The survey was conducted between November 13 and 16, 2020, and a total of 415 responses were collected. Refer to the full survey report for additional methodology information.

About eHealth
eHealth, Inc. EHTH operates a leading health insurance marketplace at eHealth.com and eHealthMedicare.com with technology that provides consumers with health insurance enrollment solutions. Since 1997, we have connected more than 8 million members with quality, affordable health insurance, Medicare options, and ancillary plans. Our proprietary marketplace offers Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, Medicare Part D prescription drug, individual, family, small business and other plans from over 180 health insurance carriers across fifty states and the District of Columbia.

Media inquiries:

Lara Sasken
Vice President, Corporate Communications
lara.sasken@ehealth.com

SOURCE eHealth, Inc.