You May Know More About Obamacare Than You Think

By Tamara Lytle, December 4, 2013 04:51 PM

Who's best informed about Obamacare? Older Americans, a new Gallup poll shows, at least according to them.

Some three of every four Americans 50 or older say they are familiar with the Affordable Care Act. That may not be too surprising, because the new health care law offers older adults who are not yet eligible for Medicare some important new benefits and protections. Before the ACA, for example, insurance companies could deny coverage or charge sky-high rates to older applicants, who are more likely to have existing medical conditions - and greater health care needs in general - than younger patients. The new law bans denials of coverage for existing conditions and puts limits on premiums for older enrollees.

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Only 22 percent of Americans ages 50 to 64 say they are unfamiliar with Obamacare, compared with 37 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds.

But ignorance isn't bliss for the ACA. Young people are crucial to the success of the new insurance marketplace, which offers coverage to people without employer-subsidized health insurance.