ADVERTISEMENT

​35 percent of Americans don’t realize Obamacare and the Affordable Care Act are the same thing

A new poll reveals that 35 percent of Americans don’t realize Obamacare and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are the exact same thing.

obamacare aca

Yes, it’s a little disheartening that so many of us don’t know the proper name of the most discussed piece of legislation in recent history.

But we probably shouldn’t be surprised, as this kind of misunderstanding has been going on for years.

Back in 2013, a CNN poll found 46 percent of Americans were opposed to “Obamacare,” while just 36 percent opposed the “Affordable Care Act.”

ADVERTISEMENT

More recent opinion surveys have also shown that, when asked about specific provisions of Obamacare/ACA, rates of public approval or disapproval vary wildly - and don’t hue to party lines.

For example, a full 65 percent of people polled were not in favor of the “individual mandate” that requires all Americans to have health insurance.

But policies that limit out-of-pocket costs or prevent insurance companies from discriminating against people with preexisting conditions were favored by 83 percent and 69 percent, respectively, of people polled.

If you’d like to read the actual provisions of the ACA, you can find them here on the website of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Or, if you’re not a lawyer and don’t have one handy, here’s the world’s simplest guide to understanding Obamacare.

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: eyewitness@pulse.com.gh

ADVERTISEMENT