The Affordable Care Act is registering historic levels of voter support in California, thanks in large part to the state’s successful rollout of its insurance marketplace.
Two out of three California voters said they thought the state was successful in implementing Obamacare, according to the latest Field Poll.
Overall support for the Affordable Care Act is up strongly from last year, with 56 percent of those polled supporting the healthcare reform law, while 35 percent declared themselves opposed.
The California voters’ support slipped when asked about the federal government’s rollout of Obamacare, with 49 percent saying it was a success vs. 46 unsuccessful. The voters also were somewhat critical of state efforts to rein in health insurance costs.
The California Wellness Foundation funded the survey of 1,535 registered California voters, which was conducted June 27-July 19.
“The current 21 percentage-point plurality in favor (of the Affordable Care Act) is up from 15 points last year and is the largest margin of support for the law in annual TCWF-Field Health Policy Surveys dating back to 2010,” researchers said as they released the first part of the poll Aug. 19.
Researchers found some moderation of Republican voter opposition to the healthcare reform act, with a 3-1 negative opinion vs. 4-1 in last’s year’s California healthcare poll. Democrats supported the law 5-1.
Despite generally well received Covered California rate increases — an average of about 4 percent — most voters said the state hadn’t done enough to rein in insurance companies. Statewide, 46 percent said California had been unsuccessful in capping rate increases, compared with 36 percent who said it had.
Other findings:
- Almost half (46 percent) said they had trouble paying for health care. About 1 in 6 voters (17 percent) said the cost was “very difficult.” Not surprisingly, those who said health care costs were very difficult to afford were uninsured (46 percent).
- Strongest support came from the Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay areas. Researchers found “somewhat greater support” in the Central Valley.
- Congressional expansion of Obamacare was favored by 43 percent, compared with 38 percent in 2013.
- Support from white non-Hispanics inched up to a plurality now favoring the law (50 percent vs. 49 percent in 2013). Ethnic support remained strong.
The Field Poll bills itself as an “independent and non-partisan survey of public opinion.”
Read more about the 2014 TCWF-Field Health Policy Survey (PDF).
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