Americans still clueless about PPACA deadline

Among 18- to 29-year-olds, a group essential to PPACA’s success, more than 60 percent say they will sign up for health insurance this year, while 28 percent say they will stay uninsured. Of the 18- to 29-year-olds who plan to remain uninsured, 31 percent say they will do so because they are healthy and do not need health insurance.

Respondents between the ages of 30 and 49 are the most likely to remain uninsured (39 percent plan to continue going without health insurance). Among that age group who won’t get insured, 47 percent cite cost as the biggest factor.

Other key findings from the report:

• 41 percent of the uninsured respondents who plan to stay uninsured are choosing to do so because they think health insurance is too costly;
• 53 percent of uninsured Americans do not know that the deadline to sign up for health insurance is March 31, 2014.
• 66 percent of uninsured 18- to 29-year-olds say they will sign up for health insurance, while 28 percent say they will stay uninsured. Of those who will stay uninsured, 31 percent say they will do so because they are healthy;
• 54 percent of uninsured Americans with annual household incomes between $50,000 and $74,999 intend to stay uninsured. In January, members of this group were the most likely to tell Bankrate.com that they have been negatively affected by PPACA;
• 22 percent of uninsured men (versus just 8 percent of uninsured women) say they will go without health insurance because they oppose the Affordable Care Act; and
• Uninsured Americans who feel more negative about PPACA now than they did one year ago outnumber those who feel more positive by more than two to one (28 percent to 13 percent).