Forty-eight percent of Americans have used an AI tool to review health insurance offerings, according to research from broker eHealth published Oct. 28.
The survey was conducted Oct. 7-9 and canvassed more than 1,000 Americans. The research comes just ahead of the ACA open enrollment period, which begins Nov. 1 and runs through Jan. 15 on the federal marketplace.
Among those who used AI, 85% said they selected their current health plan at least in part based on an AI tool’s advice.
Other research and insights have pointed to AI use in consumers’ healthcare decision-making. Forrester predicted that more than half of consumers will begin their healthcare journeys using public AI models, such as ChatGPT.
Navigating open enrollment is a challenge for most Americans. The eHealth research found that 57% of Americans consider the period to be stressful, while 84% feel the health insurance system is deliberately structured to be confusing.
Affordability is a top worry for Americans. More than two-thirds of ACA plan enrollees are concerned they will not find affordable coverage during the enrollment season, and more than three-quarters of likely voters said healthcare affordability is among their top-three issues for the midterm election. The findings from eHealth echo other research on the midterms: A KFF poll published Oct. 6 found that healthcare costs are a top ballot issue, tied with gas prices.
As affordability concerns and confusion with plan selections mount, seeking help from AI may not seem surprising. Some insurers have already bet on that, too.
In 2025, Cigna announced a suite of AI-powered tools, including plan selection support for those with employer-sponsored health insurance. UnitedHealth Group shared how it was rolling out AI-powered plan recommendations for this Medicare Advantage annual enrollment period, as well.
However, eHealth found that Americans do not uniformly view AI as a healthcare cure-all. While 22% of Americans said AI is already capable of replacing physicians for medical advice, 67% of those who have used AI for this advice said the guidance has sometimes been wrong.
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