Tracking the ACA
Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) many households will face much more complex choices regarding health insurance than they ever have before. The success of the health reform will largely depend on whether people are willing and prepared to make these choices, which in turn depends on their opinion and knowledge of the ACA as well as on knowledge of health insurance. This session brings together three papers studying the impact of the Affordable Care Act using data from the American Life Panel (ALP). The ALP is a population-representative panel of more than 5,000 individuals ages 18 and over who participate in occasional online surveys. Respondents are compensated for their time and are provided with internet access if needed. The papers in this session are based on surveys fielded in the ALP designed to study the impact of the ACA. The first paper assesses respondents’ knowledge of the ACA and of insurance more broadly. The second paper investigates changes in public opinion of the ACA over time. The third paper assesses consumer choices using a hypothetical choice experiment designed to be similar to choices made in the health insurance marketplaces.