Many business owners have indicated that they won't know what to make of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act until it's gone into effect, as a variety of factors will serve as the determinant of whether it improves or worsens the employee benefits they offer. But when it comes to consumers in general, the overriding determination of the law being a net positive or negative is if it makes their healthcare less costly.
According to a recent poll conducted by insurance plan information firm HealthPocket.com, nearly four in 10 respondents said that affordability of premiums will have the heaviest influence on their perception of the ACA.
Steve Zaleznick, executive director for the Sunnyvale, California-based insurance data website, indicated that it's not too surprising that consumers' main concern is how it will impact their bottom line.
"Our poll is an important reminder that, above all, consumers are most worried about how they will be able to afford the premiums for health plans that they are obligated to pay for in 2014," said Zaleznick.
Other less important features of the ACA consumers will sue to assess it's success, the poll found, include their ability to keep their current doctor, if health options become more extensive and whether they're able to stay on the plan that they're on now.
Though employers' opinions of the ACA aren't quite as straightforward, they're in no hurry to see it implemented sooner rather than later. According to staffing firm Deloitte, 41 percent of business owners say they would like to see the health reform law be put off or rolled back so that they can understand it better.
