The online health insurance exchange markets that will open for enrollment Oct. 1 under the Affordable Care Act are generating interest among consumers, marketing information company J.D. Power and Associates found in its 2013 Member Health Plan Study released March 11.

The survey of more than 33,000 members of 136 commercial health plans conducted in December 2012 and January found 73 percent of members who purchase insurance on their own, instead of through employers, say they will shop for coverage using the exchanges.  Overall, 48 percent of both group and individual plan members indicated they are interested in the exchanges.

Interest in exchanges is highest among health plan members in small companies - 53 percent, followed by 48 percent of members in medium companies, and 43 percent in large companies.  Among members of both types of plans, 59 percent of those with high-deductible plans were interested in using exchanges, compared to 45 percent of those in low-deductible plans, indicating a desire to reduce costs. 

The results were particularly surprising because many health care experts have worried that few people have even heard of the exchanges, much less have an interest in shopping in them.  The exchanges that will be created under ACA, which will sell plans that take effect beginning in 2014, are intended to make it easier for people to compare and buy health insurance at competitive rates.