The Affordable Care Act implemented a system for marketplace enrollment assistance, which has substantially grown since the ACA's inception. Kaiser Permanente conducted a report, "Health Insurance Marketplace Assister Programs and Brokers," which found nearly 5,000 Assister Programs helped consumers apply for financial assistance and select health plans for 2016 during the third Open Enrollment.
Kaiser conducted the online surveys from Feb. 11, 2016 to March 4, 2016.
Here are 10 survey findings:
1. Combined, the Assister Program helped an estimated 5.3 million consumers during the third OE, down 10 percent from 2015.
2. Nearly 25 percent of Assister Programs helped more than 1,000 consumers during the third OE, which accounted for 80 percent of all consumers Assister Programs helped.
3. In the third OE, only 30 percent of Assister Programs helped 100 or fewer consumers.
4. In 2015, 53 percent of Assister Programs reported most or nearly all consumers they helped were new Marketplace participants, with the figure dropping to 29 percent this year.
5. Seventy-nine percent of Assister Programs said they were able to serve all consumers who sought help, but 21 percent had to turn away some consumers due to high demand in December and January.
6. The programs helped approximately 230,000 consumers resolve Marketplace identity proofing issues.
7. Brokers, on average, aided 100 consumers in applying for ACA policies during OE, the same as the year prior.
8. Slightly less than half (49 percent) of brokers reported at least some payers have ceased paying commission on all ACA policies.
9. Assister Programs gave the ACA a rating of 6.5 for the third OE period, while brokers gave OE a 4.5 rating.
10. Sixty-five percent of Assister Programs said the third OE period was better than the second, compared to 55 percent of brokers.
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