CNN Poll: Health care law support drops to all-time low
Washington (CNN) - Support for the country's new health care law has dropped to a record low, according to a new national poll.
And a CNN/ORC International survey released Monday also indicates that most Americans predict that the Affordable Care Act will actually result in higher prices for their own medical care.
CNN/ORC International survey full results
Only 35% of those questioned in the poll say they support the health care law, a 5-point drop in less than a month. Sixty-two percent say they oppose the law, up four points from November.
Nearly all of the newfound opposition is coming from women.
"Opposition to Obamacare rose six points among women, from 54% in November to 60% now, while opinion of the new law remained virtually unchanged among men," CNN Polling Director Keating Holland said. "That's bad news for an administration that is reaching out to moms across the country in an effort to make Obamacare a success."
According to the survey, 43% say they oppose the health care law because it is too liberal, with 15% saying they give the measure a thumbs down because it is not liberal enough. That means half the public either favors Obamacare, or opposes it because it's not liberal enough, down four points from last month.
Sixty-three percent say they believe the new law will increase the amount of money they personally pay for medical care, which may not be a good sign for a law known as the "Affordable Care Act."
The survey also indicates that 42% say they will be personally worse off under Obamacare, with 16% saying the law will help them, and four in 10 saying it will have no effect on them.
Just over six in 10 say they believe they will be able to receive care from the same doctors that they now use, with 35% saying they will not be able to see the same doctors.
The Affordable Care Act, which is the signature domestic achievement for President Barack Obama, was passed along party lines in 2010, when Democrats controlled both houses of Congress. Since that passage, Republicans have fought to either repeal, defund, or severely restrict the law. A push by congressional conservatives to defund the law was the catalyst for October's 16-day long partial federal government shutdown, the first in nearly two decades.
The roll out of the law was extremely flawed, from the rocky startup of HealthCare.gov in October to the controversy over millions of Americans being told they would lose their current insurance plans because they didn't meet standards mandated by the new health care law.
Despite all the problems, the President said things are starting to improve, adding that more than 500,000 Americans enrolled in the Affordable Care Act through HealthCare.gov during the first three weeks of December.
"So all told, millions of Americans, despite problems with the website, are now poised to be covered by quality affordable health care," he said at a news conference.
The poll was conducted for CNN by ORC International December 16-19, with 1,035 adults nationwide questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points.
From CNN Politics
- Untitled
- 10 Cards Charging 0% Interest Until 2024
- Illinois took action after the Highland Park shooting. But the assault weapon ban there still faces legal hurdles
- Mike Pence must testify about conversations he had with Donald Trump leading up to January 6, judge rules
- Untitled
- DeSantis plans to travel to Jerusalem as tumult strains Netanyahu-Biden relationship
It's a really sad commentary on the basic intelligence of the American public that it takes this long for a majority to figure out something that was so blatantly obvious from day-one.
The ACA has nothing to do with "affordable" or "healthcare". This bill is all about buying votes through backdoor redistribution of wealth except that someone miscalculated about just how many people were going to be on the wrong side of that redistribution program.
As predicted, this boondoggle government operated crap will be a miserable failure and increase costs across the board.
How did 500,000 website enrolled become millions poised to be enrolled? Did those 500,000 actually get coverage or did they just put their personal information into an insecure government website? How many are forgoing coverage because of massive premiums and vicious deductibles? Everything this law promise was a lie.
Truth can be a bitter pill to swallow sometimes.
"Thanks alot obama"
Not obamas fault... its your insurers. Coverage costs were going up anyway... healthcare costs in this country are twice that of other industrialized nations and thats because this new system isn't single payer and you have to deal with all the middle men (healthcare insurers).
Who cares what a polls says. I'm only concerned with the actual numbers and percentages. At one time is was everyones opinion that the earth was flat. We see how that turned out.
Hey people ask a republican senator or congressional rep to give up his government health bennies,not a chance...Remember they were created by democrates just like FD Roosevelts SocialSecurity and LBJs Medicare..These aren't entitlements like your republicans minions are saying either considering you pay into them every payday,not government handouts,investments in your future...Give the ACA plan time like you did for Bushs Medicare Part D ,the plan that took over two years to get going or did you forget !!Remember also where you'd be if you listened to Bushs con job of putting your SocialSecurity and retirement into Wall Street probibly in a soap line today right!!
I don't go as far as the ultra-right in opposing Obama-care, but as an independent, I feel that the Democrats, as noble as their intentions were, are still totally naïve about reality. Right now, the right-wing lies are starting to sound like they ring with a lot more truth than the left-wing lies. From my personal perspective, I saw my company-sponsored health care costs go up 36% in 2012, nearly double the increase from the last four years combined. I have no other place to place this increase than the grotesquely "Unaffordable" Care Act.
"yet they constantly ignore all the stories of higher premiums, higher deductibles, and fewer doctor choices these same people are finding when they look for insurance."
No we don't. We pay very close attention to them. In fact, last time we paid very close attention to them was when Hannity paraded a bunch of people around on his show and had them tell all those stories, and then someone actually did what journalists do and checked all their stories, got information from them about their incomes, etc., and proved that almost everything all of them said was completely untrue, they'd be paying less, that they hadn't canceled insurance for their employees because of the economics of the ACA but had used it as an excuse, etc. That being said, yes, there is a very small group, approximately 3% of people, who will have to pay a higher premium and that group is compromised primarily of people who were buying bunk insurance products that cover almost nothing. Understand this: just because CNN and the MSM latch onto the GOP's talking points and these anecdotes, such that they are what is repeated most often and most loudly, does NOT mean that those things are true or represent the situation for the majority of Americans. They aren't and don't.
And yet, CNN is still avoiding talking about the 5M people who the GOP/Teatrolls have screwed around the country by refusing to join the Medicaid expansion.
Welcome to all the lobbyists. It has been awhile since we last heard from all of you.
"removes many healthcare decisions from the hands of the patients and their doctors"
No it doesn't... it doesn't change anything about the doctor patient relationship. You still get a plan from a public insurer... it's a market based system.
I call BS on this poll, and several other recent CNN ones that have turned out to be patently false.
CNN is at record low polls also. hahahahaha this is due to wanna B Fox actions. when you let right wingers interveiw there own nut job right wing boss ? hahaha
Since when has the government ever Given you anything without Taking from someone else? Any time a bunch of politicians can pass a bill without bothering to even read it in it's entirety tells me we have a group of idiots running the country.....and into the ground. If Obamacare is so good, why are the Unions in an uproar wanting an exception? How about the IRS employees screaming to be exempt from it? Good enough for us but not others? What about the people who will have their workhours cut back to relieve the employer of the cost?
While I'm gravely dissapointed by both sides politically; I look to the point that this program was never popular with anyone who ultimately had to pay for it, and when you force people to spend their money on those they are not responsible for........this is the outcome. This entire measure is summed up with one thought; if it's so good, why are those "leaders" that are pushing the agenda exempt from having to use the program. That simple statement sums it up; if it's "so right" wouldn't everyone want to participate. The answer, as it has always been, is PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. I'll take care of me and mine, you take care of you and yours.
@lou
Many of us are extremely ticked off that our opinions on this major overhaul of our economy were pushed aside by political grandstanding and ideological dogma. We were further ticked off when efforts to address these exact issues were labeled as terroristic and hostage taking. One thing we are not is surprised to the events unfolding as predicted. Talking about what our plan is to fix it is rather comical since this process should have included input and ideas from both sides of the aisle with the end result being something much less of a disaster. You reap what you sew. No we will all have to wait and see if this monster can even float on its own. History has documented well the validity of our earlier intentions to address these exact problems. History will likewise document the end result of using political maneuvering and non negotiable politics of ego to achieve a long sought goal. I suspect history will not look favorably and will be a cautionary tale from which future politicians of all persuasions will look back and say "well, here is certainly how NOT to do it".
"And the next law to get passed will be that everyone must eat government grown spinach at least once a week"
Sorry... the law requires you have insurance from a private insurer...just like you have to have auto insurance. It hardly is that herculean. Fear mongers... all we get from those that complain about the ACA.
Give it to the liberals for taking a decent idea and making a mess.
According to Dems, the truth is a conspiracy against them and must be stopped.
ORC International, (the firm that did the polling) is owned by Lake Capital, a firm that supported Mitt Romney and donated tens of thousands to his campaign. Can CNN find a little less biased firm to do their dirty work?
The main owners have strong ties to the insurance industry so it is not a surprising outcome for their work.
So much for the "liberal media" myth. CNN is one of many corporate propaganda tools. How about doing a story about people who can see a doctor for the first time? I guess they are subhuman since they are poor, i.e. not worth talking about.
Americans "predict" or "believe". And this article supports that mentality – take a huge topic like ACA and decide if it's "good" or "bad" like Santa does for kids at Christmas.
This is exactly what is wrong with our country today. Simpleton thinking, black or white, left or right.
Did you EXPECT our legislators, the very ones who couldn't prevent the shutdown as they were busy acting like toddlers, to enact ACA to solve all health care woes nationally and it be perfect from its very inception? And if there are problems, should we just say it's 'bad' and throw it out?
Geez people. Do you think, maybe, just maybe, solving the health care crisis is a little more difficult than that? Maybe it will take a few iterations and modifications of ACA to get it right?
Seldom are valid criticisms heard and suggestions offered. This is just MORE of that left/right mentality – pick a side and vilify the other.
When B0 was a community organizer in Chicago what he tried only worked about half of the time, now that he is president I'm still waiting for the half that works.
After the rabid republican efforts to make the law the worst thing that ever happened to this country, I'm surprised it even has 35 percent support. I bet in 5 years the polls will be opposite.
Funny how some blame the press for the ACA's low approval numbers. All blame and no reality.