Poll: 'Obamacare' Will Help Some, Hurt Others
A recent Gallup poll shows that majorities of Americans believe the Affordable Care Act (2010), also known as "Obamacare," will help those who get sick and currently do not have health insurance and hurt taxpayers, businesses and those who currently have health insurance. Responses fell mostly along partisan lines.
"In general, would you say that the 2010 healthcare law recently upheld by the Supreme Court will make things better or worse for each of the following?" Gallup asked 1,004 Americans July 9-12.
A strong majority, 59 percent, said the law, which was mostly upheld by the Supreme Court last month, would make things better for people who currently do not have health insurance. Fifty-five percent said it would help people who get sick.
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Americans believe the law will be most harmful to taxpayers (60 percent), businesses (57 percent), doctors (51 percent) and people who currently have insurance (46 percent). Ten percent said it would make no difference to those who are currently insured.
When asked if the health care law would make things better or worse for "you, personally," respondents were about evenly split. Thirty-eight percent said it would make things better while 42 percent said it would make things worse. Thirteen percent said it would make no difference.
Democrats were more likely than Republicans to say that the law would make things better for all the groups. The results for independents were about the same as the full sample.
Republicans were evenly split (45-45), though, on whether the health care law would make things better or worse for those who currently do not have health insurance.
Additionally, about one third of Democrats believe that the law will make things worse for taxpayers (34 percent) and businesses (33 percent).
President Barack Obama has argued that the law will lower health care costs for everyone, create jobs and help lower the national debt. Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney has argued the law will add to the national debt, increase health care costs for everyone and hinder the economy. Romney has also promised to repeal the law if elected.
Last week, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would repeal the law, but the Democratic controlled Senate will not vote on the measure.
The margin of error for the full sample is plus or minus four percentage points.
