Health Care

Survey: Americans say shopping for health insurance is the worst

It’s official: Americans think shopping for health insurance is the worst. 

As the Obama administration seeks to build momentum for ObamaCare’s second enrollment period, a new survey found that Americans think choosing a health plan is as bad as getting a cavity filled (64 percent). 

{mosads}Even more people believe shopping for coverage is like doing your own taxes (75 percent) or getting the middle seat on an airplane (73 percent), according to a national poll commissioned by Bankrate.com. 

The figures point to the challenge facing enrollment activists, insurance companies and federal health officials as they push to connect more uninsured Americans with healthcare coverage. 

The administration is also encouraging existing customers on ObamaCare’s exchanges to shop again for a cheaper plan, though few experts believe current enrollees will undertake the effort. 

The survey revealed that people who recently bought health insurance are most likely to be negative about the process, a sign that enrollment systems could be improved. 

A full 82 percent of people who shopped for coverage in the last few years say it’s as bad as doing your own taxes, compared with three in four of all adults, the survey found. 

The poll of 1,004 adults was conducted Nov. 20-23 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.