While 82% of working Americans feel familiar with the health insurance process, 53% feel they are underutilizing their options.Another 54% do not fully understand what their current health insurance offers, the most recent polls Found by Harris Poll.independent polls Forbes magazine found that Americans are highly misunderstood about common insurance industry terms like copays and coinsurance.
The online Harris Poll, conducted June 9-13, received responses from 2,021 adults, including 1,040 full- or part-time employees.
Many employees misunderstand the facts about health insurance. For example, the survey found:
- Three-quarters of working U.S. adults say they believe or are unsure whether they can keep a flexible spending account even after leaving their current job.
- A majority, or 63%, said they believed or were unsure if they could change their health insurance plan mid-year after enrollment.
- Almost 60% don’t know they can sign up for a health savings account if they have a high-deductible health plan.
- More than half, or 54%, believe or are unsure if the deductible is what their insurance will pay for a variety of medical services.
- Forbes survey of 2,000 Americans with health insurance finds 77% don’t understand coinsurance Yes, another 46% do not understand what is copay Yes.
Many working Americans (72%) say they wish they were told what is the best health insurance plan for their specific needs. But many employees don’t know who to turn to for help: 44 percent of employment respondents said they are uncomfortable asking an HR representative about admissions. Another 47% said they would call friends and family for advice.
Almost half of workers are forced to choose the most expensive health insurance plan to ensure they have adequate coverage, the survey found. Enrollment pressure has led 62% of employed Americans to stick with their current plans rather than make changes from year to year.
Among employed respondents, 66% said they were actively looking for new jobs or were open to new roles. The survey found that employee benefits are an important factor in choosing a company, with 78% of employees saying health insurance that meets their specific needs is important to them when looking for a new job. Another 64% said they would be willing to give up some compensation for better health insurance, although this was more common among those actively looking for a new role.
About two-thirds of respondents said their company’s health insurance affects how much they want to continue working there. Employees who are actively looking for or willing to accept new jobs are more likely to say they are not getting the most out of their health insurance options than those who intend to stay in their current roles.
The survey found that health plan problems were especially prevalent among younger workers. People in this age group are less knowledgeable about health insurance, feel more uncomfortable asking questions to their human resources representatives, are less sure what their health insurance offers, and feel more stressed about choosing the most expensive health plan.
Photo: Natalia Nestrenko, Getty Images
