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.
The disparities are even greater in the western United States, including California, according to HealthPocket.
In that region of the country, just 2% of respondents said they planned to use navigators or non-profit groups to obtain information, according to Kev Coleman, HealthPocket's head of research and data.
The survey of 1,150 individuals was conducted earlier this month. No specific information was provided to those polled about the role of navigators.
The study was published at a critical time for the ACA. Several of the more conservative states have said they will not engage in outreach efforts regarding their exchanges. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius this week also complained at a public event that disinformation is clouding consumer perceptions of the ACA.
Under the federal law, each state must have at least two navigator organizations representing the state exchange, one of which must be a not-for-profit. Individuals who act as navigators receive training to provide unbiased information and avoid conflicts of interest.
Some costs will be defrayed by fees charged health plans that offer coverage through the exchanges, although states will also receive separate federal funding.
California is expected to spend as much as $300 million to promote the ACA, although a specific spending figure for navigators is not yet available.
"Given that only 3% of consumers in the critically important 18 to 34 year age group indicated that they will use navigators or nonprofits as a primary source of advice, the administration will need to rely heavily on marketing channels outside of the navigator program and nonprofit outreach to meet its enrollment goals," said HealthPocket Chief Executive Office Bruce Telkamp.
Coleman noted that one of the reasons so few people say they plan to use navigators is that there is still little information available about the Affordable Care Act. “If you were to do a poll of 1,000 Americans, most would not be able to tell you what a navigator is,” he said. Among the reasons that many respondents said they would seek advice from physicians and pharmacists is because Coleman believes they have a high level of trust with the public.
Coleman added that the marketing push expected in many states in the coming months is likely create more awareness about the ACA and who will be providing information about it.
And Coleman ultimately believes whether people choose to purchase insurance through the exchanges will be based on what they will have to pay for premiums, not primarily because of the existence of healthcare navigators.
“People vote with their pocketbooks, and whether it is a compelling value proposition,” he said.
