The Affordable Care Act expanded healthcare coverage to many low-income Americans, but this same demographic has a low health literacy that makes it difficult for them to navigate program eligibility systems, according to a study from The Urban Institute.
The Affordable Care Act expanded healthcare coverage to many low-income Americans, but this same demographic has a low health literacy that makes it difficult for them to navigate program eligibility systems, according to a study from The Urban Institute.
The report is part of a series drawing on the results from the quarterly Health Reform Monitoring Survey (HRMS), supported by The Urban Institute and other foundations, such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
“Though the ACA has expanded the coverage options available to many nonelderly adults, obtaining and using that coverage is likely challenging for many adults,” authors Sharon K. Long, Adele Shartzer, and Mary Politi wrote.
Those 80 million adults who have low health literacy will likely have poorer health outcomes, according to previous research.1 In their report, the authors used data from the June 2014 HRMS to describe literacy and numeracy among adults between the ages of 18 and 64 years.
Both literacy and numeracy tend to be lower for uninsured adults with family income below 400% of the federal poverty line (FPL). A fifth of this group of individuals rated both their literacy and numeracy as less than very good compared with just 9.7% of all adults.
“Gaps in literacy and numeracy among the uninsured will likely make navigating the health care system difficult, as indicated by the past experiences of insured adults in choosing a health plan,” the authors wrote.
Nearly half of insured adults with family income below 400% of FPL reported difficult finding information to support their plan enrollment decision. However, it is important to note that even insured adults with strong literacy and numeracy had a difficult time finding information on health plans when trying to enroll.
“…in the short term there is a need for carriers and those creating plan choice tools to strive to better support consumer choice, particularly for those with limited numeracy and literacy,” the authors concluded.
1. Berkman, ND, Sheridan SL, Donahue KE, Halpern DJ, Crotty K. 2011. Low health literacy and health outcomes: an updated systematic review. Ann Intern Med. 155(2):97-107.
Standard Criteria for Loss of Ambulation Needed in DMD
April 19th 2024A recent study suggests the differences between ambulation definitions for patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) can impact the identification of ambulant vs nonambulant individuals, and standard criteria across settings are needed.
Read More
Navigating Health Literacy, Social Determinants, and Discrimination in National Health Plans
February 13th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the February 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on how health plans can screen for health literacy, social determinants of health, and perceived health care discrimination.
Listen
An Overview of Health Care and Pharmaceutical Trends, 2023-2024
April 19th 2024Douglas M. Long, BA, MBA, was featured as the keynote speaker on the closing day of The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy 2024 annual meeting, with a session dedicated to surveying the health care and pharmaceutical trends of the last year.
Read More
Drs Raymond Thertulien, Joseph Mikhael on Racial Disparities in Multiple Myeloma Care Access
December 28th 2023In the wake of the 2023 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition, Raymond Thertulien, MD, PhD, of Novant Health, and Joseph Mikhael, MD, MEd, FRCPC, FACP, chief medical officer of the International Myeloma Foundation, discussed health equity research highlights from the meeting and drivers of racial disparities in multiple myeloma outcomes.
Listen
Real-World Study Reveals Key Insights Into DLBCL Treatment Patterns, Outcomes
April 18th 2024A recent study offers valuable insights into the characteristics, treatment patterns, and outcomes of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in patients across different lines of therapy, providing a look into the landscape of DLBCL management.
Read More