Americans without health insurance have never seen Obamacare in such a negative light.
Kaiser Family Foundation’s monthly health tracking poll found that in February, 56 percent of the uninsured view the Affordable Care Act unfavorably.
The percentage of uninsured with a positive view reached its lowest point since Kaiser began tracking reactions in March 2010 when Obamacare was passed into law. Just 22 percent of uninsured Americans have a generally favorable opinion about the law.
This pessimistic outlook isn’t all that surprising. Health industry experts have found that exchanges are more often than not selling coverage to those that were previously insured. According to reports, majority of exchange customers either had their previous coverage cancelled due to Obamacare regulations or switched over willingly to access premium subsidies. (RELATED: Report: Most Obamacare enrollees already had insurance)
The Obama administration’s outreach efforts to educate the uninsured on Obamacare also appear to be falling flat. Just 24 percent of the uninsured population were able to cite March 31 as the last day to purchase coverage on health care exchanges, and just 12 percent believe they know “a lot” about the Obamacare exchanges.
Sixty-three percent of uninsured respondents said they either knew nothing at all or only a little about the new health insurance marketplaces.
Fifty-one percent of the public at large prefers health insurance plans that may cost more money but cover a “broader range of doctors and hospitals,” compared to 37 percent that prefer a cheaper plan with fewer options.
While a movement toward narrower networks has been in the works for years before the Affordable Care Act, plans available on the exchanges have pushed insurers more quickly in the direction of decreasing options to control cost. But many potential exchange customers have been unsatisfied with new plans that prevent them from seeing their own doctors.
Among those who are uninsured or purchase their own insurance — the key demographic for Obamacare exchanges — 54 percent preferred the lower cost, more limited plans.
But overall, public opinion of the Affordable Care Act still skews significantly negative. In February, 47 percent of respondents view the law unfavorably and just 35 percent have a favorable opinion.
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