Liking The Pieces, Not The Package: Contradictions In Public Opinion During Health Reform

Abstract

Public opinion played a prominent role during the recent health care reform debate. Critics of reform pointed to poll results as evidence that a majority of Americans opposed sweeping changes. Supporters cited polls showing that people favored many specific aspects of the legislation. A closer examination of past and present polling shows that opinion tracked with historic patterns and was relatively stable, even if the contentious public debate suggested a volatile public mood in 2009 and 2010. Going forward, the public will begin reacting to reform implementation, primarily by judging it in terms of their perceptions of and experiences with what the new law does and does not do for people. These opinions could in turn influence implementation or future legislation.

Controversy Undermines Support For State Mandates On The Human Papillomavirus Vaccine

“…Consistent with previous research on public attitudes toward health care reform in the 1990s, 10 the public became increasingly negative about the personal impact of reform during the prolonged divisive debate. 28 Policy makers and health professionals working with journalists should seek ways to minimize, not exacerbate, the media focus on controversy. Possible approaches include emphasizing scientific agreement where it exists, describing moderate (rather than polarized) viewpoints, and focusing on other aspects of health policy topics that journalists consider newsworthy, such as a policy's local impact.…”

Perspectives of Mental Health Stakeholders on Health Care Reform

“…Beneficiaries relied on these programs for their stability and well-being. This contrasts with the assumption of some Americans that government-sponsored health care programs are a waste of resources (Brodie et al, 2010).…”

“…Similarities with U. S. voters in general included the following: fear of effect of health care reform on their own access to care and quality of care; fear of increased costs; view that health care is an important political issue; doubts that health care reform will improve their situation; and reluctance to give up what they have for a potential "improvement" (Blendon et al, 2008;Brodie et al, 2010). A prominent similarity between mental health stakeholders and U. S. voters in general was the fear of the effect of health care reform on access to care and quality of care.…”

Unraveling from Within? The Affordable Care Act and Self-Undermining Policy Feedbacks

“…Congressional Republicans continue to pursue plans to "repeal and replace" Obamacare through legislative and legal challenges, and many states governed by the GOP have fiercely resisted the ACA's implementation. Five years after enactment, public support for the ACA has been both quite stable and underwhelming, with more Americans opposed to (47%) than favoring it (40%), as of March 2015, though many of its individual provisions are more popular than the overall Act (Brodie et al 2010;HuffPost Pollster 2015). Partisan differentials in attitudes toward the ACA remain remarkably high, as reflected not just in whether the law is viewed favorably, but also (and less plausibly) in self-reported perceptions of whether the ACA has helped or hurt the survey respondent (Jacobs and Mettler 2011;RAND Corporation 2014;Kaiser Family Foundation 2015a).…”