Less than one-third of uninsured Americans expect their access to health care to improve in 2014, according to a survey conducted by the Urban Institute for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. One in four uninsured respondents expect their health care costs to improve.
Researchers say the survey findings indicate that more and better outreach is needed to educate uninsured people about free health insurance through expanded Medicaid programs or subsidies to help them purchase affordable health insurance in the marketplaces.
“Many people heave negative expectations about their future health care costs, including those who stand to benefit the most from health reform,” said Katherine Hempstead, who leads coverage issues at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “People should be aware that financial assistance is available which can considerably reduce the cost of coverage.”
The findings come from the Health Reform Monitoring Survey (HRMS), which is conducted by the Urban Institute each quarter, with additional funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Ford Foundation.
