Most Americans say they support the controversial and often delayed provision of PPACA requiring large employers to offer health care coverage to their employees or face fines.
But they generally aren't saying the same about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act as a whole.
A new poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation out this week finds that six in 10 consumers support PPACA's employer mandate, which goes into effect Jan. 1 for businesses with 100 or more workers. Firms with 50 to 99 employees have until January 2016 to comply.
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Meanwhile, support for the law in general lacks that level of support, with 46 percent saying they have an unfavorable view of PPACA and 41 percent claim they view the law favorably. By contrast, 38 percent say they don't support the employer mandate.
Kaiser researchers, though, expect public opinion on the mandate to shift as employers adopt different strategies, adding that opinions about the law are easily swayed.
"Opinion on the employer mandate is not fixed and there is some room for movement. After providing those in favor of the employer mandate with the statement that "some employers are moving some workers from full time to part time to avoid paying the fine, the share with an unfavorable opinion rises from 38 percent to 68 percent," researchers said.
And, when those with unfavorable views of the employer mandate are provided with the statement that "most employers with 100 or more workers already offer health insurance and won't have to pay the fine," the share with a favorable view of the employer requirement rises from 60 percent to 76 percent, Kaiser said.
Many have warned the employer mandate would cause a massive surge in part-time workers as employers would cut employee hours to dodge the mandate. But other studies, such as that by the Urban Institute and the Commonwealth Fund has mainly argued that PPACA, at least so far, hasn't increased the number of part-time workers.
The employer mandate has been under even more scrutiny this year. Originally scheduled to go into effect this year, the administration has delayed the mandate twice, claiming it needs more time to implement the provision.
Kaiser's poll also found that the law's individual mandate remains unpopular as ever, drawing support from just 35 percent.
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