Do Republican Voters Like Obamacare? You Bet They Do!

ACA APPROVAL IMAGE

What’s good news to Americans might be bad news for the GOP this election year. A recent study by the Commonwealth Fund finds that an outstanding percentage of Americans who enrolled with the Affordable Care Act are happy with their new medical insurance ? even those who call themselves Republicans.


Of the 14 million who got coverage in the recent Oct. 2013-to-March 2014 enrollment period, 78 percent say they are satisfied with their new insurance, which 81 percent are confident offers improvement in accessibility to needed healthcare. Of self-identified Republicans who enrolled through ACA, the percentages are very similar: 74 percent are satisfied with ACA, and 78 percent are optimistic their new coverage will improve access to care.

Only about 3 million of this group already or recently had medical insurance. About 9.5 million of the registrants were previously uninsured; the remaining 1.5 million are young adults who were able to be included in their parents? insurance plans.

The Commonwealth Fund’s tracking survey reports other good news, too, and in many different categories. The number of uninsured Americans of ages 19 to 64 dropped by five percent (from 20 to 15) during the registration period, for example. The 19-to-34 age group benefited most, declining 10 percent from an uninsured rate of 28 last year to 18 percent today. Sixty percent say they already used their new insurance to seek medical care, which 62 percent say they wouldn’t have accessed without the ACA. Only five percent of ACA enrollees say that their preferred doctors aren’t included in their plans.

See other interesting data in the image below:

(Image Source: Commonwealth Fund)
(Image Source: Commonwealth Fund)

There are still some lackings in the program, however. For example, persons of lower income levels were less likely to know of ACA registration, according to survey data, and were less likely to know of available financial assistance to aid enrollment. African Americans had the lowest rate of decline in uninsured, as well; the rate of uninsured black Americans fell by only one percent, from 21 to 20, during the ACA registration period.

This low impact on African Americans could be the result of resistance to ACA from Republican elected officials, however. Over 60 percent of this ethnic group resides in states that refused Medicaid Expansion; each of those states has GOP-led legislatures and/or governors.


This resistance from Republican officials could play a role in this year’s elections, too. A Bloomberg poll from March 2014, when registration was nearing its close, found that 64 percent of Americans favor retaining Obamacare.

 

Do you like Obamacare? And will it influence your vote this year? Let us know on Liberal America’s Facebook page!

I had a successful career actively working with at-risk youth, people struggling with poverty and unemployment, and disadvantaged and oppressed populations. In 2011, I made the decision to pursue my dreams and become a full-time writer. Connect with me on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.