The Affordable Care Act does not appear to be having an impact on how Americans feel about their own private health insurance coverage.  A recent national poll conducted by Public Opinion Strategies shows that privately insured voters have a favorable opinion of their health plan, are overwhelmingly satisfied with the size of their provider network, and believe the health insurance they have is a good value for the money it costs.  This is true for privately insured respondents who have employer provided coverage and for privately insured respondents who purchase coverage on their own.

1.  More than seven out of ten privately insured voters (73%) report having a favorable opinion of their own health plan.  Only 10% of privately insured voters report having an unfavorable opinion of their own health plan.

• We asked respondents the following question: “Is your opinion of your own health plan or health insurance very favorable, mostly favorable, half-and-half, mostly unfavorable, or very unfavorable?” The detailed response data is shown below.

  Very Favorable 33%
  Mostly Favorable 40%
  Half-and-Half 17%
  Mostly Unfavorable  6%
  Very Unfavorable  4%

• Privately insured respondents who have employer provided coverage as well as those who purchase coverage on their own report having a favorable opinion of their own health plan (73% favorable).

2.  Nearly all privately insured voters (94%) report being satisfied with the number of physicians, hospitals, and other health care providers in their health plan’s network.  A significant majority (62%) report being very satisfied with their health plan’s network.

• We asked respondents the following question: “And thinking some more about your own health plan, how satisfied are you with the number of physicians, hospitals, and other health care providers in your health plan’s network?”
  
  Very Satisfied 62%
  Somewhat Satisfied 32%
  Not Too Satisfied  2%
  Not At All Satisfied  2%

• Satisfaction levels with one’s health plan network is high regardless of how respondents receive their private health insurance coverage (privately insured respondents who have employer provided coverage – 96% satisfied, privately insured respondents who purchase coverage on their own – 86% satisfied).

3. More than seven out of ten privately insured voters (73%) believe the health insurance they have is a good value for the money it costs.

• We asked respondents the following question: “Would you say your health insurance is a good value for the money it costs, or not?” 

  Health insurance is a good value for the money it costs 73%
  Health insurance is not a good value for the money it costs 22%

• Privately insured respondents with employer provided coverage and those who purchase coverage on their own both believe the health insurance they have is a good value for the money it costs (privately insured respondents who have employer provided coverage – 73%, privately insured respondents who purchase coverage on their own – 72%).

Methodology:

Public Opinion Strategies conducted a national telephone survey from May 27-29, 2014 among 800 registered voters (560 land line/240 cell phone).  The survey has a margin of error of +3.46%.

In this survey, 59% of registered voters (471 respondents) reported having private health insurance coverage.  This sample size has a margin of error of +4.52%.