Poll shows seniors Misinformed, Unaware of Key Provisions of the Affordable Care Act

[cal04]

http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/health-reform-implementation/110871-poll-most-seniors-bewildered-by-effects-of-new-health-reform-law

The majority of the nation’s seniors have little understanding of what the Democrats’ newly enacted healthcare law actually does, according to poll results released Monday.

The survey, sponsored by the National Council on Aging (NCOA), an advocate for seniors, found that only 17 percent of respondents could answer even half of the 12 questions about key provisions in the law selected by the NCOA.

Only 14 percent of respondents, for instance, knew that the new reforms don’t include cuts to doctors treating Medicare patients; just 24 percent were aware that the changes will extend the solvency of the Medicare program; and only 14 percent were aware that the reforms are projected to cut deficit spending.

(snip)
“Seniors need to know the key facts about health reform so that they can be informed consumers and educated citizens,” Firman in a statement. “Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but not their own facts.”


Most Seniors Misinformed, Unaware of Key Provisions of the Affordable Care Act
http://www.ncoa.org/press-room/press-release/most-seniors-misinformed.html

[jwirr]

1. As a senior this does not surprise me. There are many forms that

we seniors have trouble understanding and I am only 68 years old. Everytime I come across one of them I think of all the people older than I am.

As to knowing what is going on - most of us do not watch news except local news and the most informed magazine we get is often the one from AARP. We are too often influenced by other seniors and that often means some rw religious info they got from their church. Not necessarily true.

The best way to inform the elderly is to have Social Security itself send out info that is easily read and understood. As far as I know that has not been done either before the HRC bill passed or after.

Many of these elderly vote - they need to be educated.

[rfranklin]

2. That's the one with the "Death Panels," isn't it?

I seem to remember Sarah saying that.