Obamacare Popularity Rises in Gallup Poll Despite Technical Difficulties With ACA Website
Despite the technical problems that have plagued the federal healthcare website, a new poll reveals that Americans seem to have an increasingly positive view of the Affordable Care Act.
A survey conducted by Gallup stated that people generally "are slightly more positive now" than they were in the weeks leading up to the launch of healthcare.gov, which is the central online portal allowing Americans to shop for various health insurance plans.
The nationwide survey collected responses from more than 1,500 adults between Oct. 18 to Oct. 20 and recorded responses from people regarding the ACA after the website launched on Oct. 1.
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45 percent of those polled in the mid-October survey stated they approved of the law compared to 50 percent who said they currently disapprove, according to the survey.
"This suggests that the poor performance of the health exchange sites may not at this point be negatively affecting Americans' views of the ACA overall," Gallup researchers said of the survey, which questioned people just days after the partial government shutdown ended.
In contrast back in August, 41 percent expressed support for the ACA while 49 percent did not. As expected, the results of the survey where decidedly spilt among Democrats and Republicans as well as exhibiting a generational divide among young and old.
The great age divide is seen as a key indicator regarding the future success of the ACA. The health care law needs heavy participation from younger, healthier Americans in order to cover the cost of sicker, older Americans.
Just over half of 18- to 29-year olds -- 51 percent -- supported the new healthcare reforms compared to just 38 percent of those 65 and older, according to the poll. The poll had a margin-of-error rate of plus-or minus three percentage points.
During a press conference on Monday, President Obama insisted that the problems with the federal health care site would be fixed soon and encouraged Americans having trouble using the website to contact a live representative to enroll in coverage.
