A new challenge lies in getting the uninsured signed up for coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: With just days left before the deadline to sign up for coverage, the majority of that group says they disapprove of the law, according to a CBS/New York Times poll.
The new poll found that 53 percent of people who lack health insurance disapprove of PPACA, while 39 percent of people approve of the law. That number is roughly the same as the percentage of insured individuals (51 percent) who approve of PPACA.
The disapproval by the uninsureds is a challenge for PPACA's goal of ultimately getting virtually all American insured. Citing disapproval of the law — especially its individual mandate — as well as the plans' high cost, 35 percent said they would likely pay the fine instead of buying insurance. Still, 56 percent of the uninsured said they expect to sign up for coverage before the March 31 deadline next year.
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Just 10 percent of the uninsured have applied for coverage, according to the poll.
A third of the uninsured say the law will help them personally, but about the same number think it will hurt them.
Also, 44 percent of the uninsured said the new law would have no effect on the quality of the health care they receive. Furthermore, 30 percent went so far as to say it would result in them getting worse quality of care, while less than a quarter predicted their care would improve.
The poll is yet one more in a slew of recent studies that underscores the challenge the administration faces in getting the law off the ground.
With its major provisions going into effect in just two weeks, the poll shows the uninsured remain confused about the exchanges and are worried about how much the law will cost them.
Similarly, LIMRA this week also reported that the majority of Americans who shopped for coverage using the exchanges sought assistance when purchasing a plan. The group also said that nearly half of those who plan to shop for health insurance or are undecided on whether they plan to shop for health insurance think they will need help with the process.
The CBS/New York Times poll was conducted among 1,000 adults nationwide from Dec. 5- 8 and among 702 uninsured adults from Dec. 4 -15.
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