Many don't know if health law was repealed, poll shows

Nearly half the country either believes President Obama's health care law has been repealed or doesn't know, a new survey shows. The law has not been repealed, though House Republicans have passed a repeal measure. The Senate would have to pass that measure and then Mr. Obama would need to sign it for repeal to go into effect.

Twenty-two percent of Americans said the reform package has been repealed, the new Kaiser Family Foundation poll shows. Another 26 percent say they don't know enough to say whether it's still law. Roughly half of Americans, 52 percent, correctly responded that the reforms are still in place.

After campaigning in the 2010 midterm elections on the promise to repeal the president's sweeping reforms, the new Republican majority in the House of Representatives made repeal its top priority. The GOP-led House passed a repeal bill in January. Democrats still control the Senate, however, and they voted down the repeal measure earlier this month. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has vowed to continue fighting the reforms.

Kaiser's poll shows that more Americans, 48 percent, have an unfavorable view of the laws than hold a favorable view (43 percent).

Four in 10 want the reform package repealed, though half of those respondents want it replaced with a Republican alternative. Twenty percent want the current law to be fully implemented, while another 30 percent want the reforms expanded.

When asked about specific, key provisions of the new law, even those who want it repealed say they would keep most of the law's individual elements. For instance, among those who want the reforms repealed, 60 percent say they would keep the provision to close the gap in Medicare prescription drug coverage known as the "doughnut hole."

The most unpopular provision of the bill is the individual mandate -- the requirement for all Americans to purchase health insurance, which goes into effect in 2014. Even among those who say they want to keep the reforms, 52 percent say the individual mandate should be repealed.

Since Republicans in Congress have been unable to repeal the full reform package, they're also trying to dismantle the laws by defunding them. Last week, as part of a larger government spending bill, the House passed a measure to defund all aspects of the reform laws -- though that measure has almost no chance to get through the Senate.

The Kaiser poll shows that 61 percent of Americans oppose the GOP's defunding tactic. Among respondents who oppose defunding the laws, 59 percent said their position is grounded in the fact that the tactic doesn't seem like "the way our government should work." A recent CBS News poll also found that 55 percent opposed cutting off funding for the laws.

[JEngdahlJ]

Want to know more about this individual mandate everyone is talking about? Healthcare reform droids can help explain key concept. http://www.healthcaretownhall.com/?p=3618

[jimbom121]

Well lets see...58% of republicans think or are notsure Obama was born in the US...despite the fact that the state certified it.

We can see that people do not pay attention to things. I'll bet that more people know who the finalists of American Idol than the HC law still stands.

[nearl451]

Polls often show that people aren't too bright.

Not really news.

[RobAla]

That is because the President is pretending that he doesn't know what Judge Vinson meant by his ruling. The Judge stated that the law is unconstitutional, and that he expects the Justice Department to abide by his ruling. President Obama didn't like the ruling, so he has purposely muddied the water.

[RobAla]

Marine: Thank you for your service. Actually, the last judge didn't rule on the constitutionality of the law - but rather against the appeal of rulings going straight to the Supreme Court. The last ruling regarding constitutionality of the law was by Judge Vinson - and he ruled that the law is unconstitutional. Below is the what before the last court:

VIRGINIA ATTORNEY General Ken Cuccinelli II has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take the extraordinary step of leapfrogging past federal appeals courts to decide the constitutionality of the new health-care law. In a petition filed last week, Mr. Cuccinelli argued that the law has so "roiled America" - more than half the states have asked that it be overturned - that the array of challenges should be consolidated into a single case to be decided by the high court. Without that expedited review, he said, "the states are forced to devote considerable resources now to meet the requirements of a congressional enactment that this court may find invalid." In addition, he said, "citizens and businesses are widely believed to be reducing spending and delaying hiring in response to the overhang of uncertainty" about the law's status.

[jimbom121]

ummm, 19 judges have ruld on this...16 dismissed it, 2 against, 3 for. The law is still in place. The public is not very bright.

[noloyalisti]

Americans are one step smarter than pets I think. They do not even know what is happening to them. The perfect scenario for right wing corporations to rape and pillage. This is why a few evil rich and giant corporations have been able to buy the American media, military and "elected" government. The perfect fascist scenario for the corporations.

[olebasiclady]

LOL. Noloyalisti is an American. Americans are one step smarter than pets. Therefore, Noloyalisti is one step smarter than pets.

(Per Noloyalisti)

[mb99]

Just another example of how ignorant a large portion of our population has become and how it's destroying our democracy. Fully half the population goes to the polls without anything more than the most rudimentary understanding of the issues facing our nation. I personally don't care what your political affiliation is... all I ask is that you make a sincere effort to educate yourself on the issues before voting you conscience. Why is that apparently too much to ask?

[RobAla]

People have to take a test to drive a car, but any idiot is allowed to select the ruler of the free world. It's a right, I know. The problem is that we so many people spend 15 years studying how to beat a video game, and spend 10 minutes researching issues and candidates. I guess we deserve the government that we chose.

[jimbom121]

I guess we deserve the government that we chose.
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Just look at Wisconsin.

[annmac38]

This is really a shame---are these the same people who think Obama is not a US citizen? Or just people who could care less as long as it doesn't affect them at this moment? In this world of mega-information, it's hard to believe how uninformed some are.

[babooph]

The public is so easy to brainwash-that is how the media sold the tax cuts for the rich to so many suckered workers...

[sjc_1]

This just shows how blatantly ignorant most of the American people are. An informed electorate is essential for a functioning democracy, but too many are watching Faux Noise.

[retm-w]

No their watching the reality shows.

[jimbom121]

by retm-w February 24, 2011 5:25 PM EST
No their watching the reality shows.
------------------------------------

Same thing.

[tsigili]

Obviously people just read headlines, and not the full content.

Our best hope, is that the Supreme Court will find the entire law unconstitutional, and will set it, and all of its provisions, aside.

[jimbom121]

Because you like insurance conmpanies denying people health insurance?