Abstract
Keywords
- •Many Americans oppose the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) because they do not trust their government, and they oppose a government role in health care.
- •Republicans are less likely to trust their government than Democrats, and are far more likely than Democrats to oppose the ACA.
- •Public opposition to the ACA has been increased by the flood of negative ACA TV ads during the elections of 2012 and 2014.
NBC News. November 14, 2013. Boehner: Affordable Care Act ‘can't be fixed'. Available at: http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nbc-news/53554389. Accessed December 12, 2014.
OECD. OECD health statistics 2014. How does the United States compare? Available at: http://oecd.org/unitedstates/Briefing-Note-UNITED-STATES-2014.pdf. Accessed December 11, 2014.
Gallup. In U.S., uninsured rate sinks to 13.4% in second quarter. Available at: http://www.gallup.com/poll/172403/uninsured rate sinks second quarter.aspx. Accessed December 12, 2014.
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Kaiser health tracking poll: March 2011. Available at: http://kaiserfamilyfoundation.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/8166-c.pdf. Accessed December 12, 2014.
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Kaiser health tracking poll: December 2011. Available at: http://kaiserfamilyfoundation.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/8265-c.pdf. Accessed December 11, 2014.
2010 | 2012 | 2014 | |
---|---|---|---|
Approve ACA | 42% | 44% | 40% |
Oppose ACA | 45% | 45% | 51% |
How Has the ACA Affected the American Population 1 Year After Its Implementation?
Increased Number of Insured
Gallup. In U.S., uninsured rate sinks to 13.4% in second quarter. Available at: http://www.gallup.com/poll/172403/uninsured rate sinks second quarter.aspx. Accessed December 12, 2014.
Improvements in Private Health Insurance
1. Retroactive rescission of insurance prohibited |
2. No denials or increased premiums for those with “prior conditions” |
3. No annual or lifetime limits on coverage |
4. No cost-sharing for preventive services |
5. Coverage of dependents until age 26 years |
Which Elements of the ACA Do the Public Support?
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Kaiser health tracking poll: December 2011. Available at: http://kaiserfamilyfoundation.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/8265-c.pdf. Accessed December 11, 2014.
The New York Times. Results of The New York Times/CBS News poll. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/03/27/us/03272012_polling_doc.html. Accessed December 12, 2014.
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Kaiser health tracking poll: December 2011. Available at: http://kaiserfamilyfoundation.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/8265-c.pdf. Accessed December 11, 2014.
The New York Times. Results of The New York Times/CBS News poll. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/03/27/us/03272012_polling_doc.html. Accessed December 12, 2014.
Requiring coverage for prior conditions | 85% |
Health insurance exchanges | 79% |
Premium subsidies for low income families | 75% |
Medicaid expansion | 69% |
Parents' coverage of young adults | 68% |
Employer mandate | 61% |
Individual mandate | 45% |
All Ages | Age 65+ Years | |
---|---|---|
Favorable view of Medicare | 72% | 88% |
Medicare is working well | 88% | 95% |
Medicare same quality as private insurance | 66% | 75% |
Medicare important to your family | 77% | 93% |
The Partisan Divide
Social Security Administration. Legislative history. Summary of party affiliation on Medicare vote. Available at: http://www.ssa.gov/history/tally65.html. Accessed December 10, 2014.
Social Security Administration. Legislative history. Summary of party affiliation on Medicare vote. Available at: http://www.ssa.gov/history/tally65.html. Accessed December 10, 2014.
Yes | No | |
---|---|---|
Senate | ||
Democrats | 57 | 7 |
Republican | 13 | 17 |
House | ||
Democrats | 237 | 48 |
Republicans | 70 | 68 |
Role of the Federal Government in Health Care
Americans Do Not Trust the Federal Government
Pew Research. Public trust in government: 1958-2014. Available at: http://www.people-press.org/2014/11/13/public trust in government/. Accessed December 9, 2014.
Pew Research. Public trust in government: 1958-2014. Available at: http://www.people-press.org/2014/11/13/public trust in government/. Accessed December 9, 2014.
Do You Trust the U.S. Federal Government? | ||
---|---|---|
Yes | No | |
1964 | 78% | 22% |
1970 | 56% | 44% |
1980 | 35% | 65% |
1990 | 33% | 67% |
2000 | 34% | 66% |
2010 | 24% | 76% |
2014 | 24% | 76% |
CNN. CNN/ORC Poll July 2014. Available at: http://i2cdn.turner.com/cnn/2014/images/08/08/re17g.pdf. Accessed December 8, 2014.
Pew Research Center. Trust in government nears record low, but most federal agencies are viewed favorably. Available at: http://www.people-press.org/2013/10/18/trust in government nears-record low but most federal agencies are viewed favorably/. Accessed December 13, 2014.
CNN. CNN/ORC Poll July 2014. Available at: http://i2cdn.turner.com/cnn/2014/images/08/08/re17g.pdf. Accessed December 8, 2014.
Pew Research Center. Trust in government nears record low, but most federal agencies are viewed favorably. Available at: http://www.people-press.org/2013/10/18/trust in government nears-record low but most federal agencies are viewed favorably/. Accessed December 13, 2014.
Pew Research Center. Chapter 2: Views of the Affordable Care Act and its future. Available at: http:www.people-press.org/2014/05/05/views-of-the-affordable-care-act-and-its-future. Accessed December 7, 2014.
The Impact of Television
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Kaiser health tracking poll: December 2011. Available at: http://kaiserfamilyfoundation.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/8265-c.pdf. Accessed December 11, 2014.
Wilner B, West M. The Affordable Care Act's place in advertising history. Kantar Media, May 2014. Available at: http://thehill.com/sites/default/files/cmag_aca_deck_v4_embargoed_1.pdf. Accessed December 7, 2014.
References
NBC News. November 14, 2013. Boehner: Affordable Care Act ‘can't be fixed'. Available at: http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nbc-news/53554389. Accessed December 12, 2014.
OECD. OECD health statistics 2014. How does the United States compare? Available at: http://oecd.org/unitedstates/Briefing-Note-UNITED-STATES-2014.pdf. Accessed December 11, 2014.
Gallup. In U.S., uninsured rate sinks to 13.4% in second quarter. Available at: http://www.gallup.com/poll/172403/uninsured rate sinks second quarter.aspx. Accessed December 12, 2014.
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Social Security Administration. Legislative history. Summary of party affiliation on Medicare vote. Available at: http://www.ssa.gov/history/tally65.html. Accessed December 10, 2014.
Pew Research. Public trust in government: 1958-2014. Available at: http://www.people-press.org/2014/11/13/public trust in government/. Accessed December 9, 2014.
CNN. CNN/ORC Poll July 2014. Available at: http://i2cdn.turner.com/cnn/2014/images/08/08/re17g.pdf. Accessed December 8, 2014.
Pew Research Center. Trust in government nears record low, but most federal agencies are viewed favorably. Available at: http://www.people-press.org/2013/10/18/trust in government nears-record low but most federal agencies are viewed favorably/. Accessed December 13, 2014.
Pew Research Center. Chapter 2: Views of the Affordable Care Act and its future. Available at: http:www.people-press.org/2014/05/05/views-of-the-affordable-care-act-and-its-future. Accessed December 7, 2014.
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Wilner B, West M. The Affordable Care Act's place in advertising history. Kantar Media, May 2014. Available at: http://thehill.com/sites/default/files/cmag_aca_deck_v4_embargoed_1.pdf. Accessed December 7, 2014.
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- Why Do So Many White Americans Oppose the Affordable Care Act?The American Journal of MedicineVol. 129Issue 5
- PreviewDalen et al1 offer plausible explanations for opposition to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Yet, although 50% of whites report unfavorable views, only 20% of blacks and 27% of Latinos do so.2 These national polling data suggest a narrower, but unsettling question: why do so many white Americans oppose the ACA?
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