81 percent of Americans know about ACA

Educating Americans and U.S. employers on the requirements of the Affordable Care Act and boosting awareness of healthcare reforms has proven quite challenging for the federal government and states alike. 

A recent study from Gallup revealed 81 percent of Americans know about the ACA mandate that requires most U.S. residents to be covered by health insurance or pay a fine. While this percentage represents an improvement from public awareness figures noted in previous months by various organizations, Gallup's research also revealed that more than four in 10 uninsured Americans do not know about the healthcare requirement.

The research firm explained that subgroups who reported being less likely to be aware were also the most likely to be uninsured. Awareness was also found to correlate with income level; 89 percent of upper-income Americans said they are somewhat familiar with the ACA, compared to just 62 percent of lower-income Americans.

When uninsured survey respondents were asked why they aren't covered, cost was the most common answer cited. Nearly one-quarter said they aren't enrolled because they are unemployed and 8 percent said their employer does not offer them benefits.

With much of the ACA expected to take effect in 2014, employers may want to consider educating staff members on their healthcare options.