EFTA01195875.pdf

Re as ton post Why Americans like Obamacare (and why they don't) in two charts BY SEAN SULLIVAN: March 27, 2014 Few -- if any -- laws have divided the public like the Affordable Care Act. Ever since President Obama signed the federal health-care law four years ago this week, Republicans have pilloried it while Democrats have defended it. But why do the law's supporters like it? And why do opponents hate it? Thanks to a poll released this week by the Kaiser Family Foundation, we can answer these questions. The public remains more negative (46 percent hold an unfavorable view) than positive (38 percent hold a favorable view) toward the law, overall. That's the way it's been for much of the last four years. Kaiser asked respondents open-ended questions about why they favor the law and why they don't. By far the most popular reason for supporting the law: Expanded access to medical care and coverage. Cost comes in second. The third most popular reason is that it's good for the country. Here's a chart, courtesy of Kaiser, that breaks it all down: FIGURE 5: In Their Own Words: Reasons For Favorable Views AMONG THE 38% WHO HAVE A FAVORABLE VIEW: Could you tell inc in your own wads what is the main reason you have a favored* opinion of the health reform law? Percent Gitegoiy Quotes Mentioning 'Because it allows people without insurance the ability to get Insurance." "Because a lot of people who otherwise would not hove insurance Expanding access to care and insurance 61% will now hove it." "Because I am able to keep my health insurance with my parents until age 16." "Because it makes health insurance affordable for people without Will make health care more insurance." 10 affordable/control costs/lower costs "Because I think the health care system was too costly and the affordable health care act will cid costs." Country/people will be better off it makes health care better for Americans." 7 generally it is beneficial to the general public.' Opposition is driven by cost, distaste for the individual mandate, and a sense that the measure is an example of government overreach: EFTA01195875  FIGURE 6: In Their Own Words: Reasons for Unfavorable Views AMONG THE 46% WHO HAVE AN UNFAVORABLE VIEW: Could you tell me in your own words what is the main reason you have an unfavorable opinion of the health reform law? Percent ategory Quotes Mentioning "Ws too expensive for regular people? costing too much money. Its supposed to help people with low Cost concerns 23% incomes and it's not.' "Because ir's a financial hardship on the U S • "Don't think it's right to penalize people who don't hove health core? Opposed to individual mandate/ 17 it's unconstitutional, requiring people to have hearth insurance? Unconstitutional I don't like the government making personal ciecisiOns for me." believe the government should stay out of health Care" Government-related issues 10 "Mere is too much government in our personal choices? The fact that cost is an oft-cited reason why Americans like the law as well as a primary justification for why they dislike it speaks volumes for just how far apart the public is on the health-care debate. What one side sees as an attribute, the other side views as a problem. Republicans and Democrats are already hitting on these themes in an effort to drive turnout in the November midterms. Republicans have been referencing Obamacare much more in the midterm campaign, given its unpopularity and troubled rollout. Expect to hear a lot more about government overreach and cost burdens from GOP candidates and groups. Democrats have mostly adopted a keep-it-but-fix-it posture predicated on emphasizing the parts of Obamacare that are popular, like what it does to expand coverage, while underscoring efforts to fix the parts that are less popular. EFTA01195876