A Big Obstacle For Health Navigators

A new survey suggests that the American public – and those in the California region particularly – have little use for the so-called healthcare “navigators” that are considered an important component in encouraging enrollment in state Medicaid programs and exchanges under the Affordable Care Act. The survey, conducted by the HealthPocket, a non-partisan healthcare research firm based in Sunnyvale, revealed that Americans plan to obtain information about their health insurance options under the Affordable Care Act through a variety of sources, but that healthcare navigators and non-profit groups are dead last on their list. Overall, just 3% of those surveyed say they plan to use navigators, favoring medical professionals, friends and family and the Internet instead.