Survey: Many insurance benefits enrollees have utilized their new health coverage

A new survey from private foundation The Commonwealth Fund found most Americans who gained healthcare coverage through the federal and state insurance benefits exchanges are satisfied with their plans and have already used their new insurance.

The foundation looked at health insurance data from July to September 2013 and April to June 2014. It found 73 percent of people who have coverage through health plans purchased on the exchanges are happy with their plans. In addition, 77 percent of individuals who had previously had insurance said they satisfied with their new health insurance plans, The New York Times reported.

Many people have already used their new healthcare coverage. The survey found 6 in 10 have either bought a prescription, received care at a hospital or seen a healthcare provider with their new insurance.

Larry Levitt, senior vice president for special initiatives at the Kaiser Family Foundation, told the newspaper in an email that he’s surprised at seeing many people being so happy with their coverage so early.

“It’s possible people may have felt coerced into buying coverage, even if they didn’t like it or didn’t feel it was a good value,” Levitt wrote. “That doesn’t seem to be happening so far.”