Dive Brief:
- In the wake of the first open enrollment period for the health insurance marketplace, a majority of Americans still see the ACA negatively, according to a Gallup poll.
- The ACA exchanges have succeeded in enrolling more than 7 million people, and the uninsured rate has reached its lowest level since 2008 (15.6%).
- However, according to Gallup research, 54% of those polled still disapprove of the law, while 43% approve. Gallup notes that the approval figure is a bit higher than when it was tested in November, but the disapproval number has remained more or less unchanged.
Dive Insight:
These Gallup numbers suggest that regardless of what's happening on the health exchange, or how many people get covered, some Americans' minds are well and truly made up that the ACA is a bad thing. Gallup suggests that opinions might shift meaningfully when key provisions of the ACA, such as the employer mandate, take effect. That provision could mean a much higher disapproval rating as businesses cope with having to pay for health insurance, a major additional cost that could cause the small businesses a great deal of pain.