Americans Remain Ignorant of Obamacare

Poll: Most Americans Remain Ignorant of Obamacare Impacts
The sweeping health care reform package remains unpopular with the public

By Rebekah Metzler

March 22, 2013

For all the noise politicians make about the sweeping health care reform law passed three years ago, dubbed 'Obamacare,' Americans are largely in the dark about its implementation.

About 48 percent of those recently surveyed said they know "nothing at all" about whether their state is setting up a new insurance marketplace as prescribed by the law or deferring to the federal government versus just 15 percent have heard "some" about this or 7 percent who have heard "a lot," according to a new poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Much ado is also being made in Washington about whether or not Red State governors are taking up the federal government's offer to help fund an expansion of Medicaid, also part of the health care reform overhaul, but the poll shows a majority of public support for the act. About 52 percent say they support expanding Medicaid to cover more low-income people versus 41 percent who oppose the move.

Overall, support for the law has not changed much since it was signed three years ago – just about 37 percent of people have a favorable view of the measure versus 40 percent who have an unfavorable view. Democrats and independents are also much more supportive of Obamacare than are Republicans. But ignorance persists on the measure, as well. About 57 percent of those polled admit they don't have enough information to understand how it will affect them personally, compared to 41 percent who say they do.

There is a disconnect between the public's perception of whether health care costs are increasingfaster or slower than usual, according to the poll.

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