7 percent say they don't need healthcare

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OAKLAND, Calif., Aug. 29 (UPI) -- About half of the 32 million currently uninsured say they are unaware of parts of healthcare reform that would benefit them, a U.S. survey indicates.

The August Kaiser Health Tracking Poll says despite expectations that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will expand coverage to 32 million of the uninsured, about half expect healthcare reform will have little impact on them personally. Only 30 percent say the new law will help them get healthcare.

Forty-six percent of those without healthcare coverage say they can't afford it, 16 percent say they are unemployed or lost a job, 18 percent say their employer doesn't offer coverage or they aren't eligible for employer coverage, and 7 percent say they don't think they need coverage, the survey indicates.

Fifty-six percent of the non‐elderly uninsured say they had problems paying medical bills in the past year, versus 18 percent of their insured counterparts, the survey says.

Fifty‐two percent of those who are currently uninsured say they are aware the law will provide subsidies to help poor and moderate income people without insurance purchase it, and 47 percent say they are aware Medicaid will be expanded to cover more poor adults.

The survey, conducted Aug. 10-15, by Princeton Survey Research Associates, has an overall margin of error of 3 percentage points and a margin of error of 9 percentage points for those ages 18‐64 who are uninsured.