Did you know that eHealth regularly publishes original research that sheds light on the health insurance market and healthcare consumers?

In 2024 we published ten reports based on extensive consumer surveys and proprietary data analysis. In total, eHealth’s surveys reached more than 7,900 respondents and generated more than 450 original data points.

We invite you to read our annual Research & Insights Retrospective in full, but here are ten of the most compelling insights we uncovered in 2024:

1. Medicare beneficiaries are counting on President-elect Trump: 64% say they are more confident in the future of Medicare after the election; their top-three priorities for the incoming administration are: 1) Negotiating with drug companies to reduce costs, 2) Lowering out-of-pocket costs, and 3) Strengthening Medicare Advantage.
    
2. Americans are alarmed by healthcare cost inflation: Looking back over the past four years, 88% say they are “shocked” by how much their healthcare costs have increased.
    
3. The cost of healthcare is the #1 financial concern in retirement: 63% cite healthcare costs as a top worry in retirement, ahead of running out of money (58%) and inflation (53%).
    
4. Only one third of seniors have saved money specifically for healthcare costs: Only 33% of those currently retired saved any money specifically for health care costs they might face after retiring.
    
5. Medicare beneficiaries are ready to rethink the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP): 68% want future AEPs tied to their birth month rather than having a single AEP for all 60 million beneficiaries each fall.
    
6. Millennials and Gen Xers would contribute more today if it helped guarantee the survival of Medicare: 84% would agree to higher payroll taxes if it ensured that Medicare was there for them in the future.
    
7. Working with a licensed insurance agent results in higher coverage satisfaction: 70% of Medicare beneficiaries who speak with a licensed insurance agent when selecting a plan are “very satisfied” with their coverage, compared to 60% of those who do not speak with an agent.
    
8. Subsidized and unsubsidized differ on the success of the ACA: 66% of the enrollees not receiving government subsidies consider the Affordable Care Act a success, compared to 34% of the unsubsidized.
    
9. Few carefully read mail from their insurers: Only 48% of Medicare beneficiaries say they carefully read the mail they received from their insurance company.
    
10. About half of small business owners are unaware of group coverage alternatives like ICHRA: 55% are uneducated about Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements, which allow employers to provide a monthly stipend for employees to buy coverage on their own.

For more insights into healthcare trends in 2024, read our eHealth’s 2024 Research & Insights Retrospective.