For many Democrats, it's been an article of faith: the Affordable Care Act may not be popular now, but in time, the hysteria will fade, the benefits will be appreciated, and the demand for repeal will slowly go away.
The latest health care tracking poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation suggests these expectations are finally coming to fruition.
Not only are Americans opinions on the law improving -- unfavorability is down to 39 percent -- but the number of Americans who want to see the entirety of the law repealed is down to just 33 percent, the lowest since "Obamacare" became law in March 2010.
In the bigger picture, the fate of health care reform has long been dependent on clearing three very challenging hurdles: (1) getting the legislation through Congress; (2) overcoming a Supreme Court test; and (3) re-electing President Obama.
As of last week, all three hurdles have been cleared. Last week, even House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) signaled his intention to end the repeal effort, telling Diane Sawyer the election "changes" his party's plans. "It's pretty clear that the president was re-elected," Boehner said. "Obamacare is the law of the land."
The Affordable Care Act is here to stay.
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As the law is implemented it will become more popular. Oddly a lot of red states are going to have Federally run exchanges instead of the state run exchanges that will be more common in blue states. I guess the red states really like the heavy hand of the Federal government.
You should hear ol' Voldemort here in Fla ....well we need to work on exchanges....
How's your crow pie douchebag?
I am so grateful that Romney lost, and most of all because of the ACA! My young daughter-in-law would literally die without Medicaid. She worked hard all her young life and was a responsible person in every way, and a good wife and mother. She suddenly was stricken with a terrible, fatal illness and only her VERY expensive meds and treatments keep her well and functioning. None of us could afford the cost and due to her condition she was refused health coverage. "Obamacare" will change that for her.
I thank Obama, the voters, and God for the election results! I love my daughter-in-law. She deserves a break, and now she has it.
To those who are so quick to want to repeal it, may you watch out what you wish for. One of your family could be stricken just as easily as mine was! You'd change your mind watching a loved one suffer and possibly die needlessly.
This is the 21st century and we have long been behind every civilized country in giving our citizens affordable health insurance. Time to end this example of "American Exceptionalism", folks.
The only reason Obamacare attitudes are good is because we still don't know what's in it. Perhaps you heard about the Medicare cuts to take place before the election? No?
http://washingtonexaminer.com/sebelius-stonewalling-lawmakers-about-project-that-hides-obamacare-cuts-to-medicare/article/2509190#.UKO_64ZyK_S
Shooter
If you do not know what's in it, it's not because you were never told, it's because you don't want to know at all. Willful ignorance is in fact not ignorance, it's stupidity.
Shooter: This issue has been litigated in a national election. Romney and Ryan run on repeal of the ACA and lost big time. Hence, a realist would call it the law of the land and move on. The Medicare "cuts" you refer to are more a shift than a cut, which will allow Medicare to negotiate the price of pills.
The only reason Obamacare attitudes are good is because we still don't know what's in it.
Uh-huh. Is that what your pollsters tell you? Over here in the real world, the evidence says the opposite - The more people find out about what's in it, the more they support it.
Let's add a dose of reality to this self congraulatory atmosphere.
The execution was hardly flawless. It was inexcusable for the Dems to be inarticulate about selling the US public on Obamacare There was simply no good reason to allow the mass media to be dominated by right wing propaganda about it.. It was the same level of political malpractice as the Romney campaign and GOP superpacs unwillingness to challenge the Bain attacks.
Really, it was quite incompetent.
I totally agree. The Democrats, and especially the Obama administration, were utterly incompetent about selling their product to the American people. Consequently, most Americans rejected the ACA outright, never knowing what was in it.
Meanwhile, the right-wing, always good story tellers, came up with some amazing lies about it. They are very good at what they do. They are masters of deception and distortion. We are mute about the facts. I never understood that about this administration.
Well, they certainly don't want their citizens to associate them in any way with the benefits when they arrive; they want Obamacare to come in a package labelled "United States Federal Government." That way, good Republicans will know to hate Obama and Big Government more every time they go to the doctor or have their health care paid for.
Shooter; did you try reading the bill? The facts escape you, on a consistent basis, because you never study the facts. You espouse your desires, but not the facts. The bill is online to read, try reading it. The same medicare cuts were in the Ryan budget, and the law will decrease the budget deficit. Those are the facts that escape you. You love that one hand clapping..............
Lesman,
They are simply blinded by the propaganda from the right which says it is socialism and will hurt their wallets. Neither of which is true.
Their main concern is starving the "beast" even if they starve with it. It is irrational.
And just where are the "death panels" in the ACA and how did that work out for you?
I don't think it's cool to make fun of someone because of a medical condition (allergies) that she can't change.
Speaking of health care and disasters and other awful things, this is a VERY sad story:
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/staten_island/tragic_find_on_staten_4m5sDYTkPz0wUKJoOxHHhN?utm_campaign=OutbrainA&utm_source=OutbrainArticlepages&obref=obinsite
Yeah Shooter, I heard all about those cuts before the election.
Obama redistributed those cuts to other areas of health care.
The proposed Romney-Ryan plan would have cut the same amount and put those cuts out of health care.
So now, Shooter, I'm wondering, ignorance or stupidity? Or the feigning of ignorance in an attempt to irritate the grown ups?
More than likely you're a consumer of Faux "News" making you a mushroom who thinks it's a tree.
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@ D.C., you posted: I don't think it's cool to make fun of someone because of a medical condition (allergies) that she can't change.
The comment was aimed at Shooter, and poking fun at ignorance, especially the intentionally ignorant, is always fair game.
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Rob, I think it's very clear by now that Bull has a deadly allergy to facts and reason.
I keep hearing ignorant fools blaming "Obamacare" for everything around here.
Change is never fun, but we'll all get there someday. I just think it was funny in the debates when Romney said something about hoping the president doesn't mind him calling it Obamacare and President Obama said he didn't mind people calling it that at all. HAHA, I bet. It's a LEGACY. I am sure Republicans didn't think that one through, it will be silly and hard to take credit for something they call "Obamacare." Oops.
This was always my hope, that once people become used to the benefits of the Act it will become engrained and much more difficult to remove.
Who would take a bet that the Tea Partiers will have signs in 10 years time 'Keep your government hands off my ACA.'
Especially those red staters who have been getting their health care from Doctors Without Borders
LOL. Actually, I belong to Doctors Without Borders. Currently they are working for the first time in the US, due to hurricane Sandy. Donations to DWB is always welcome, and used wisely and prudently.
Second that! DWB is a great organization. The US Navy sometimes beats them to a disaster, but DWB ain't far behind.
And it's not just disasters. I know some pilots who spend their "vacations" flying short-field craft into the Andes with DWB teams to provide care to places where there are no roads -- it's air, feet, or llamas.
Thanks, DC. They go where few are willing to go, that's for sure; some very rugged terrain to navigate at times. A llama can look surprisingly good at times on some of that terrain. LOL
Mazel tov to the Republicans, the right wing Heritage Foundation and, of course, especially to Mitt Romney, all of whom are the creators and initial supporters of this (now) "socialist, communist, anti-American, anti-capitalist" legislation. Yeah, this terrific law became all those things when President Obama advocated it. And all those Republicans like Santorum, Gingrich, etc etc etc who originally supported all of a sudden opposed it. Gee, what wonderful Americans those Repubs are!
Daniel, LOL,I love it!
The reps amaze me in that finally the middle class and those lower on the economic scale get some relief, be it in health care, tuition, taxes, etc. and the reps call it socialism. There doesn't seem to be anything inbetween for the reps, it's either capitalism or socialism. How about just finding fairness, balance, prosperity for everyone. The gap between the have and the have nots is appalling in a country/society that has so much money; no one should be without affordable health care and we're on our way with ACA. I think socialized medicine could work, does elsewhere. Go Obama
If they want to repeal the ACA and replace it with Medicare for all,I would be for that. For the life of me I don't understand why businesses don't want Medicare for all and get out of the health-care situation totally.
They asked Willard and Boner and Ryan what they would replace the ACA with, and not one of them could give an accurate answer; why does this surprise anyone that their side lost the debate? The original idea was from the Heritage (oxymoron) foundation!
and not one of them could give an accurate answer; why does this surprise anyone that their side lost the debate
It's a trait of the Conservative Republican to look for a single cause or solution, The Silver Bullet.
That they lost due to multiple reasons is beyond their comprehension and ability to deal with.
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The chart above indicates that 18 percent of survey participants responded with "don't know." If want to keep the Affordable Care Act in tact for the long-term (Republicans never give up), then we should continue to try to persuade those undecideds.
Eventually people will realize this was a great idea. Even "third" world countries have universal health care.
Also, we get insurance for our house, car, rental property, any goods we purchase, television sets... you name it we get insurance, but people aren't willing to get health insurance? That is just ridiculous.
The latest results are somewhat suspect because of the dramatic increase in "don't know/don't care". This should be going down, not up, as people learn more about the bill. It suggests a major change in polling methodology.
No. If there was a step-change, that would indicate a change in methodology. This was a gradual shift.
Note that the number approving has stayed steady. What you are seeing is the number who were "convinced" it was bad, slowly changing their position and taking a "wait and see" approach.
I suspect that this is due to more positive coverage and Democratic advertising praising the positive aspects of the law, since June.
I still want the bill amended to 'single payer.'
No need to wait for the ACA to be amended. Simply move to VT in 2017. :)
The main aspects of ACA that I dislike are the "compromises" between single-payer (truly public health care) and ACA. But - I recognize the fact that politics is compromise, and I don't think most people are unwilling to pay *something* for their benefits. What gets me are the sheer amount of right-wingers who act like the ACA is just the government trying to grab more money. It was a throwback to insurance companies, and was actually suggested by the Heritage Foundation, a rightwing think-tank.
Interesting how Boehner now says the election gave Obama a mandate to implement the ACA - but not a mandate to raise taxes on higher incomes.
Maybe the Republican opposition to ACA (which of course was based on earlier rightwing ideas) was entirely political, entirely based on misinformation, entirely cynical, and not at all sincere? While lowering taxes on the wealthy remains the one core belief that Republicans will never give up?
As more of it gets into law the favorability will rise and people will become willing to fight to keep it.
Those who have doubts might want to take a look at how many veterans are using the VA hospitals now. A lot of them would just as soon not drive long distances for health care but they lack insurance because their new employers won't provide it!
Kaiser was a fundraiser for the 2008 Presidential Campaign for Obama, and functioned as a campaign bundler for Obama: an individual who collects contributions to a candidate from others that are then simultaneously given to the candidate. At one 2007 event for Obama, he raised more than $250,000.
What do you THINK the poll would show???? lolol
Kaiser already has to comply with state laws in California in regards to minimum care for anyone that applies; they saw the writing on the wall that they were going to have to comply. That said, my dealings with their blacklisting exploits, denial of affordable care for non employee accounts, stonewalling of applications, poor mental health care, etc. makes me wonder who's side they are really on; they seem to be wanting to curry favor with the current administration, since the problems I mentioned above are so prevalent. Kaiser will go with the ACA when law, but only kicking and screaming..............
How about those moronic WI legislators who will 'arrest' any federal officials who come to implement 'unconstitutional' ACA. Doh ...
The federal marshalls will deal with that issue, just as they dealt with the segregation issue when they escorted black students to class.....
So...Now Socialist medicine ranks right up there with Brown Vs board of election to you? So many businesses are now cutting staff thanks to Bammy care..so we shall see how popular that dog is. You are unbelievably out there.
Last time I went to Papa Johns the added cost per large pizza for ObamaCare was something like 14 cents.
I gave them an extra quarter and told them to apply the overage to the Whiny Rightie who thinks this is all so horrible.
Now Papa is giving away how many millions of pizzas? In a promotion? Thats going to cost him How Much? Then whining about less than 2 dimes a pie which will be passed on to the customer?
The 1% are so far removed from reality they don't understand why we as a people have had a belly full of their belly aching.
In short, Sure, I'll pay 2% more for everything , cheap insurance against losing everything if I get sick.
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hmmm, what I see from that chart is that outright approval of the law is down 5 percent from its peak in February and definitely a shift of a lot of repealers into the "don't know" category. The bigger message from this chart is that the President and supporters of ACA need to do a big informational media blitz to educate everybody on exactly what this gigantic paradigm shift means. It is widely acknowledged that Obama didn't do anywhere near enough to educate the public on the contents of this law. It's time now to correct that mistake if you want to see that rising "don't know" curve turn into outright supporters
Ya and after Boehner said that he backtracked and said he it needed to be repealed again because his Tea Party caucus wasn't happy with his 'law of the land' response. They will never quit.
Boehner said. "Obamacare is the law of the land."
Yes, and the death of the Republican Party.
So, maybe someone should explain all this to governor LePage in Maine. This state has so many people without any health insurance at all. Poor on Medicaid, shop keepers, farmers--all honest, hard workers, and good people.
This governor seems not to care.
Very sad.
It had better grow more popular! The other option- no healthcare at all because if you think the Pubs or their corporate insurance friends are going to give you affordable healthcare- then you are sadly mistaken!
As a resident of MA, we have lived with the father of Obamacare, put in place by the the unemployed ex-gov., for a while now. The doomsday naysayers said all the same things about it then that they are saying now and guess what? They were wrong. It has worked, it has slowed the growth of costs and employers haven't bailed on their benefits packages. States opting out of controlling their own exchanges are ceding the high ground to the federal govt. and the Dems. This will only hurt them in the long run.
They made one mistake. They didnt go far enough. It should have been single payor.
I already have a Medicare deduction coming out of my paycheck. I would be glad to have a larger deduction and be on a single payer system like Medicare.
I completely agree with some of the above, that the Obama administration did a poor job of explaining how health-care plans work. They need to explain the differences in the ACA, Medicare and Paul Ryans voucher scheme.
There are so many that don't understand. Just like the Tea Party lady saying, "keep the government out of her Medicare." I wonder how many out there, think like her?
#22 Way too many, Tom 51, way too many.
The worst that could happen would be the repeal of the ACA and that, thankfully, appears to be ruled out.
As to whether private, closely-regulated health care insurance will control costs (the major problem) better than, say, an expanded Medicare is open to debate. The Swiss, and to some extent the French, seem quite happy retaining some private insurance companies. The UK, which does have a National Health Insurance plan that covers everyone and is paid for completely by taxes, is having some difficulties, but I don't know how much of said "difficulties" is ideologically caused.
Much will depend on the "exchanges". Currently, as I understand it, all the insurance available will be supplied by private companies. I fully expect to see a "public option" of some sort being offered within the next decade or so. Once that happens, it will only be a short step to a single-payer system, not unlike that of that socialist hellhole to our north!
I could be wrong, of course...
"The Affordable Care Act"......does anybody actually believe the 2nd word? With everybody out of work, who is actually paying for it and making it "affordable"? Unemployed people pay no taxes. "Keep printing the money" seems to be the federal solution.
Don't like Obamacare? Single Payer!
Oh the unwashed,Government program addicted helpless individuals on the left !