According to a new survey, 76 percent of uninsured Americans say they're ready to buy health coverage—if the price is right.

"If they follow through when the exchanges open, the number of the uninsured will be reduced to about 5 percent of the population—a victory for reform, though possibly a major expense for government," authors of an Oliver Wyman report say.

The consulting firm says they've conducted the first major survey of the consumers most likely to purchase coverage in the under-65 health care exchanges in their first few years of operation. The firm surveyed about 800 currently uninsured individuals about their health status, income and their attitudes toward the health system.