Poll: Health care reform becoming more appealing

By Bruce Japsen
Posted Jan. 20 at 2:40 p.m.

Americans may becoming more comfortable with the health care overhaul law.

An unofficial online poll of participants in a Tribune Web chat Thursday showed that two-thirds, or 66 percent, like the legislation better now than when it was first passed by Congress and signed into law last spring by President Barack Obama.

Of those who took part in the poll, 27 percent said they do not like the legislation better now and 7 percent were undecided.

The poll, taken during the hour-long Web chat on the overhaul, provides a snapshot of the national mood toward the law, which by 2014 will expand medical care coverage to 30 million Americans who have no insurance. More recent national polls also have shown Americans are more supportive of the law than just two months ago.

Participants in the Web chat had wide-ranging interests, but often focused on preventive care and what would be available to them in the first full year of the law. For example, co-payments and deductibles for a host of preventive services disappear starting Jan. 1 for most workers thanks to the Affordable Care Act.

“Many patients aren’t used to having coverage for preventive services and now will have this coverage,” said Dr. Glen Stream, president-elect of the American Academy of Family Physicians, who offered insurance advice and insight during the chat.

To view the health chat, visit chicagotribune.com/healthlaw.

bjapsen@tribune.com

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5 comments:

  1. John from Chicago Jan. 20 at 4:33 pm

    Oh, you mean people from Chicago (who voted Pat Quinn back in as Gov.), participated in this admittedly non-scientific poll, and it makes it to the front page of the Tribune’s website?

  2. pete Jan. 20 at 4:40 pm

    66 million people voted for Obama too….

    Cover for this guy all you want. Obama is our next 9/11

  3. Dave Jan. 20 at 5:41 pm

    Kind of sucks being in the minority eh?

  4. bdecarlo Jan. 20 at 6:49 pm

    When you compile data only from crook county or a demo-fool-ish what do you expect! YET WAIT wasn’t the a head of Freddy mAC assigned by Clinton (enough said) was the chief of staff of the obama-mobile being pointed out by other chicago demo’s he is corrupt or at least giving the impression he could be???? WOW you need to wonder where the Trib compiled there data.

  5. Sam Jan. 21 at 6:00 a.m.

    Once again, this is an example of a writer in the media trying to create a story by misusing statistics. An “informal poll” is statistically invalid. Hence, there is really no greater evidence that health care is more appealing than it is less appealing. If the Tribune wants to report facts, then it should report on a statistically valid study of this issue by a third party, or hire a reputable polling organization to conduct a statistically valid survey. Anything else is simply sloppy and inaccurate reporting.