Obamacare Approval Just 40 Percent [CNN Poll]

Obamacare approval continues to struggle in light of a newly released poll from CNN showing that just 40 percent of Americans approve of the law, and a mere 18 percent say they’ve been helped by it.

In all, the signature domestic achievement of President Obama has met with 59 percent disapproval, and for some conservative pundits, the fact this is coming from CNN means the number is probably a bit higher.

Just taking it at face value, however, it’s clear Obamacare approval is pretty hard to come by. While less than one in five claim to be benefitting from the law, close to double that — 35 percent — tell CNN and ORC (the poll administrators) that they’re worse off than they were before.

Daniel Garza, Executive Director of conservative watchdog group The LIBRE Initiative, reiterates as much in a statement:

Supporters of the new health care law insist it is working well, but Americans simply do not agree. Fewer than 1 in 5 say they have benefited from the law — while twice as many say they have been hurt by it. It’s time the president and his allies stopped pretending. The numbers will not improve once people feel the effects of more rate increases, and millions begin paying the escalating tax penalty for not complying with it.

“In the Senate, Majority Leader Reid has refused to allow a debate on proposals to address Obamacare’s many clear flaws. But while Washington does nothing, millions are being priced out of insurance. Many families and small businesses are in limbo — not knowing how to Budget for health care needs, and unsure how unilateral changes and court decisions will affect it. It is time for a genuine debate on how to improve health care in America.”

Speaking of the “court decisions,” the health law was met with some bad news this week when it was ruled that subsidies, which make rates affordable, will only apply to the 14 states that set up their own exchanges. In the remaining 36, patients will have to pay full price rendering insurance unaffordable for the vast majority of Americans.

The decision is expected to be upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court when it inevitably ends up there, especially since video broke this week of the law’s chief architect, Jonathan Gruber, saying states would be ineligible for subsidies in 2012.

Now Gruber is backtracking on those comments, calling the subsidy prohibition that conservatives are pointing to a “typo.” Two years ago, he had another way of describing it:

“‘I think what’s important to remember politically about this is, if you’re a state and you don’t set up an exchange, that means your citizens don’t get their tax credits,’ he says. ‘But your citizens still pay the taxes that support this bill… I hope that’s a blatant enough political reality that states will get their act together and realize there are billions of dollars at stake here in setting up these exchanges, and that they’ll do it.'”

(Hat tip to The Boston Globe for reporting that.)

What has your experience been like with the health care law, and what will happen to your rates if your state doesn’t get subsidies? Do you think the low Obamacare approval is a sign that the law is heading for failure?

[Image via txking / Shutterstock.com]