The Washington Times (11/4, Howell) reports that more than half of US households that used an ACA health insurance exchange last year said they will not do so again in the upcoming open enrollment period, according to a survey released Monday. Bankrate.com, which sponsored the survey “said 51 percent don’t want to use HealthCare.gov or their state-run insurance marketplaces again.” About 40 percent cited “much higher prices for health plans” on the exchanges this year, making it the top concern among those surveyed. Twenty-one percent cited technological problems that affected the Federal portal and some state exchanges last year. Still, “more than half said they personally had a positive experience during the previous enrollment, while 43 percent said they had a bad experience.”

The Daily Caller (11/3, Hurtubise) adds that according to the Bankrate Health Insurance Pulse survey, those “who earn less and receive higher premium subsidies were more likely to renew their plans.” Fifty-two percent of last year’s customers said they were confident that the ACA exchanges would function smoothly this year, compared with 45 percent who expect more glitches.

NJBIZ (11/3) reports that the survey “suggests many consumers will simply auto-enroll in their current plan rather than shop around for a new one — meaning they could miss a chance to buy a plan that’s more affordable or better suits their needs, according to Bankrate.com insurance analyst Doug Whiteman.”

The Phoenix Business Journal (11/4, Subscription Publication) and CNBC (11/4) also report the story.

Jeffrey R. Ungvary President