Post-ABC news poll: Half of Americans say health law's implementations worse than expected

Apr 30 2014

Meanwhile, a Kaiser Family Foundation poll concludes that there is a disconnect between people's perception of the health law's enrollment and the actual sign up total. In addition, Fox News reports on a Bankrate survey finding people don't appear to mind paying added fees if those costs increase workers' access to health insurance.

The Washington Post: Post-ABC News Poll Shows Democrats At Risk In November As Obama's Approval Rating Falls
The Affordable Care Act is expected to be a major issue in the midterm elections. Obama recently urged Democrats to defend the law energetically, particularly after the administration announced that 8 million people signed up for it during the initial enrollment period. Republicans are confident that opposition to the new law will energize their supporters. The Post-ABC poll found that 44 percent say they support the law while 48 percent say they oppose it, which is about where it was at the end of last year and in January. Half of all Americans also say they think implementation is worse than expected (Balz and Craighill, 4/28).

Politico: Poll: Obama Dips, GOP Congress Up
According to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, Obama's approval rating stands at 41 percent, the lowest mark of his presidency in the Post-ABC polls. The survey reports that just 34 percent of Americans approve of Obama's handling of the situation in Russia and Ukraine and 37 percent approve of his handling of the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. The poll comes as the president and both parties gear up for what should be contentious midterm elections. Just 8 percent of voters believe their health care costs have decreased because of the changes in the law, whereas 47 percent think their health care costs have gone up (Topaz, 4/29).

The Hill: Democrats At Risk As Obama's Approval Rating Drops, Poll Finds
Two-thirds say the United States is on the wrong track. The poll also found 37 percent approves of the president's job handling ObamaCare, but nearly 60 percent disapprove. Despite the low ObamaCare rating, 43 percent say Democrats do a better job handling healthcare issues. Forty-one percent say Democrats also do a better handling the economy while 38 percent say Republicans do, the poll found (Shabad, 4/29).

Fox News: Survey: Americans Fine With Added ObamaCare Fees
Many companies have reported they will have to raise prices on their goods and services to be complaint with the Affordable Care Act, but a new survey finds consumers don't mind the higher price tags if they help provide workers access to insurance. A report from Bankrate.com finds nearly two-thirds of Americans (68%) are okay with a business adding a nominal surcharge of 25 cents to each bill in order to help pay for employees' health insurance. Support for an insurance surcharge is highest among 18-to-29 year olds at 64%. On the other end, 39% of those ages 65 and up are OK with the additional charge (Rogers, 4/28).

Politico Pro: Poll Finds Disconnect Between Public Perception, ACA Sign-Up Total
A majority of Americans remain underwhelmed by the rollout of the Affordable Care Act despite the final surge in its first enrollment season, according to the latest monthly tracking poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation. However, most people do back the government on one contentious element of the law: They support the contraception coverage mandate and do not believe for-profit companies should be granted a religious waiver, the poll found. The public's current view of the law is striking given the Obama administration's celebration earlier this month that 8 million Americans had signed up for coverage, far exceeding its target (Wheaton, 4/29).

Kaiser Health News: Capsules: Public Overwhelmingly Supports Law's Contraceptive Mandate, Poll Finds
By a nearly two-to-one margin, the public supports the health law's requirement that private health plans cover prescription birth control without cost-sharing, according to a poll released Tuesday. The provision, which is at the heart of a case being weighed by the Supreme Court, was endorsed 61 to 32 percent and was most popular among women, younger adults, Democrats and independents, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation's monthly tracking poll (Carey, 4/29).