Health Care Law Leaves Millions Uninsured
Health Care Law Leaves Millions Uninsured
Poll Shows Americans Reject High Cost, Go Uninsured
(Washington, D.C.) – While supporters of the new health care law have often promised that it will bring health care to all, years after the law's implementation, there will still be more than 30 million uninsured Americans. With the first year enrollment concluded, attention is turning to those millions of people who still do not have insurance – despite the nearly $2 trillion being spent on health care reform over the next 10 years. According to the latest Kaiser Health Tracking poll, the biggest reason people are refusing to buy insurance is cost. Nearly 40 percent of uninsured adults say they tried to get coverage, but found it too expensive. With premiums expected to increase in 2015, the number who say the Obamacare policies are too expensive are likely to increase. It is important to note that millions will be required to pay a tax penalty for failing to purchase insurance under the law.
These problems help explain why the law is continuing to become more unpopular, according to new polling. Nearly 60 percent of Americans say the overall cost of health care is increasing. By a margin of 47 percent to 8 percent, they say the health care law is increasing their costs – not reducing them. And a plurality say the quality of care is getting worse, instead of better.
Daniel Garza, Executive Director of The LIBRE Initiative, released the following statement:
"The health care law may have been well intentioned, but even the President's recent 'victory lap' has not stopped it from becoming more unpopular. Despite spending trillions in taxpayer dollars, 30 million Americans will continue to go uninsured. Many find the law too expensive – and that problem will get worse as rates go up. Even among Latinos, the law is increasingly unpopular.
The President has an opportunity to propose fixes for the serious problems with this law. Rates for 2015 have not yet been announced. The Senate has not yet begun to consider his nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services. This is the right time to forego more unilateral band-aid fixes to the law, and propose serious, patient-centered reforms that take advantage of market competition and put consumers in charge."
For interviews with a LIBRE representative, please contact: Brian Faughnan, 703-678-4581 or Steven Cruz, 202-578-6173.
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