On its “Morning Edition” segment, NPR  (2/29, Kodjak) reports a poll it conducted along with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health revealed just “one-third of Americans say the health care they receive is ‘excellent,’” and an even lower number said they “are impressed with the system as a whole.” Some 80 percent of respondents said they have good or excellent care, although “42 percent rate the health care system in their state as fair or poor.” NPR says the poll also found that “74 percent of people believe their health care has stayed about the same since the ACA was implemented.” The article explains that while most respondents believe the ACA has not directly impacted them, most consumers are unaware that the law has increased their access to benefits such as “free screenings like mammograms and colonoscopies,” and the fact that it prevents insurers from denying them coverage due to pre-existing medical conditions.

The Hill  (3/1, Ferris) reports only 15 percent of respondents said “they have personally benefited” from the ACA, “although more than one-third believe it has helped the people of their state.” Meanwhile, 56 percent believe the ACA has not directly impacted them, and of those who said they have been affected, “more people say the law has hurt them than helped them.” Data show 26 percent of respondents said “they have been personally harmed by the healthcare law since its passage – a fraction that likely reflects those in the poll who said they have noticed rising healthcare costs in the last several years.” The Hill points out that these mixed views reflect “the polarization in the country on ObamaCare and healthcare generally.”

Jeffrey R. Ungvary President