Perhaps the lynchpin offering of President Obama's health care reform legislation is the ability for consumers to buy subsidized health care policies in a competitive health insurance exchange.

Although they're not required to be fully operational until 2014, many states have taken advantage of federal funding to begin work on these exchanges. But if you're an average consumer, you wouldn't know it. And if you don't know what they are, how would you know that you might be eligible for a tax credit to help pay for premiums?

78 percent of consumers who would be eligible for new health care coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act have never heard of the state-based health care exchanges where they will have to shop for coverage beginning in 2014. In addition, 60 percent of respondents said they believe they will need help in understanding health care insurance terms and descriptions and navigating the complex health care system.

CVS Caremark polled more than 1,000 consumers, 70 percent of whom did not have health insurance, and 30 percent were covered by individual policies. The survey found 78 percent of consumers who would be eligible for new health care coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act have never heard of the state-based health care exchanges. In addition, 60 percent of respondents said they believe they will need help in understanding health care insurance terms and descriptions and navigating the complex health care system.

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