Despite the litany of problems that have materialized since the Affordable Care Act officially went into effect, more than four in 10 Americans say that they will likely shop for a new policy through the federal or state-based exchanges.
That's according to a new report released by MPO Research Group. The survey, which questioned more than 1,300 American adults between Oct. 17 and Nov. 3, found that approximately 45 percent of participants thought it to be likely that they would shop around for a health policy via the online exchanges.
The probability of their shopping for a plan differed among men and women. For example, at 26 percent versus 19 percent, more women than men said they would be "very likely" to switch to an alternative coverage option. However, women were deemed to be more apt to switch among those "somewhat likely," 23 percent to 17 percent, respectively.
Responses also differed based on age. The Washington, D.C.-based polling firm indicated that the youngest respondents – those between 18 and 29 – were the most likely to switch at 29 percent, with that chance of switching being progressively smaller the older participants were. Just 14 percent of those over 60 said they'd be apt to substitute a plan for the one they had currently.
That's not to suggest that young people are widely supportive of the ACA. In a separate poll conducted by the Harvard Institute of Politics, the majority of 18-to-29-year-olds polled said that they were opposed to the health reform law, regardless of whether it was called the Affordable Care Act or the more colloquial term "ObamaCare."
The polling data did not indicate whether respondents were uninsured or if they already were covered through employee benefits.
