by Mish
The latest Gallup poll shows More Americans Negative Than Positive About ACA.
The poll is not remotely a surprise.
In a summer that saw many insurers drop out of the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance exchanges, Americans’ support for the healthcare law continues to be slightly more negative than positive. Now, 44% of Americans support the law, also known as Obamacare, and 51% disapprove of it — similar to what Gallup measured last November.
Insurance giant Aetna decided in August to pull out of most of the healthcare exchanges it had entered in 2014 and announced it would not expand into any more states. This news followed similar announcements from other major insurers such as United Healthcare and Humana. There have also been reports that the cost of individual plans offered through health insurance exchanges in many states is likely to jump significantly in the coming years as federal subsidies disappear.
Percentage of Americans Saying ACA Hurt Their Family Rises to New High
Currently, 29% of Americans say Obamacare has hurt them and their family, up from 26% in May, and the highest Gallup has measured to date. Meanwhile, the percentage who say the ACA has helped their family dropped from 22% to 18%. The bulk of Americans, 51%, continue to say the law has “had no effect.” As more provisions of the law have taken effect over the years, the “no effect” percentage has dropped from the first reading of 70%, in early 2012.
More Americans expect the ACA to make their family’s healthcare situation worse in the long run (36%) than say it will make it better (24%). Thirty-seven percent say they expect the law not to make much difference. The current percentage who believe the law will make things better reflects no change since Gallup began asking this question in 2012.
No Effect?
51 percent claim Obamcare has had “no effect” on them.
Actually, it has, but in ways that are unseen. Corporations have to pass on costs. And costs have risen. Prices have risen because of Obamacare.
Obamacare lowered the hours it took to be considered full-time. In response, corporations cut back hours. Those who had hours reduced or took on a second part-time job likely do not place the blame where blame should go.
Insurers pulled out. Even those who kept their insurer likely saw reduced coverage and higher co-pays.
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
