Why Uninsured Might Not Flock To Health Law's Marketplaces

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — With almost one in five of its residents lacking health insurance, officials in Palm Beach County thought they had hit on a smart solution.

The county launched a program that offered subsidized coverage to residents who couldn't afford private insurance, but made too much to qualify for Medicaid, the state-federal program for the poor. Enrollees would be able to buy policies for about $52 a month -- far cheaper than what private insurers were offering.

But a year after the program began, fewer than 500 people had signed up - less than a third of the number expected.

“The ‘if you build it, they will come’ philosophy doesn’t work in health care,” said Linda Quick, president of the South Florida Hospital and Health Care Association.

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Source: Kaiser Health News