Health Care Law Not Weighing on Voters

New Kaiser survey finds voters aren’t focused on the Affordable Care Act going into the presidential primaries.

February 01, 2016

WASHINGTON – While last month Congress passed and President Obama vetoed legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), voters nationally aren’t focused on the law in this year’s presidential election, the latest Kaiser Health Tracking Poll finds.

Terrorism (38%) and the economy and jobs (34%) are the issues that voters are most likely to say will be extremely important to their presidential vote. In contrast, only roughly a quarter (23%) say the ACA will be extremely important to their vote, dropping the issue’s rank in extreme importance to eighth. Among the issues ranking somewhat higher is the personal cost of health care and health insurance, which 28% of voters describe as extremely important to their vote.

When asked to choose the single most important issue to their vote, just 4% of voters choose the ACA, ranking behind the economy (12%) and terrorism (10%), dissatisfaction with government (9%), gun control (7%), the cost of their health care (6%), climate change (5%), and tied with immigration (4%) and the federal budget deficit (4%). For voters across parties, the ACA ranks no higher than fourth.

A minority of the public (39%) was aware of President Obama’s veto of legislation to repeal the ACA, the survey finds. Overall public opinion on the law did not change significantly this month and is closely split, with 44% holding an unfavorable view and 41% holding a favorable one.

With the ACA’s third open enrollment period ending Jan. 31, the survey finds people who remain uninsured are largely disengaged from the ongoing enrollment process. Most of those without health insurance say they have not been contacted about signing up for coverage (67%) or that they have not tried to get more information on their own (57%). Most also say they have not taken steps in the past six months to figure out if they are eligible for either Medicaid (72%) or financial assistance to purchase health insurance through the health care marketplaces (79%).

Just 15% of the uninsured can correctly say when the enrollment deadline is. Most (61%) also do not know what the fine will be for people who do not get insurance in 2016, and just 1% cite the correct amount ($695 per person or 2.5% of household income). At the same time, two-thirds (65%) say they plan to get health insurance in the next few months, even though nearly half (46%) say they have been without coverage for at least the past two years.

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