Poll: 47% disapprove of Obama health care law

/ CBS/AP

CBS News Poll analysis by the CBS News Polling Unit: Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus and Anthony Salvanto.

As the Supreme Court embarks on three days of historic arguments over President Obama's health care law - two years after the law was enacted - Americans remain skeptical about the legislation.

A CBS News/New York Times poll shows 47 percent of Americans disapprove of the president's Affordable Care Act, including 30 percent who strongly disapprove. In the poll, conducted March 21-25, only 36 percent of those questioned said they support the law either somewhat or strongly.

As CBS News correspondent Jan Crawford reports, it is a case that has divided the American public, and lower courts, and the final word could now rest with the Supreme Court.

CBSNews.com special report: Health care
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Since the health care law was passed in March 2010, more have disapproved than approved of it. The highest level of support was reached in May 2010 when 43 percent of Americans approved of the law; its lowest level was just after it was passed in March 2010, when only 32 percent supported it.

/ CBS

Opinions of the health care law break down largely along party lines. Most Republicans disapprove of it, including six in 10 who disapprove strongly, while most Democrats approve. Among independents, just under half are opposed to the law. A majority of Tea Party supporters also disapprove.

There are differences when the results are broken down by age, as well. Americans under age 30 are the most likely of any age group to approve of the law. Among those who are older, more disapprove of the law than approve of it.

/ CBS

Read the complete poll (PDF)

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This poll was conducted by telephone from March 21-25, 2012 among 986 adults nationwide. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

[lesserof2evil]

The poll should be how many Mass residents disapprove of their state universal health care law, now that they fully understand the costs and benefits of that program?

[farstar727]

How can any one agree to something that you are being forced in to?
Regardless of what that is,
Common you all. How can you agree to >hey, you either buy this or I''ll just take your money!
What happen to our FREEdoms. freedom of choice, freedom of speech (respectful), freedom of mind!!!

[mollydtt]

All you have to do is not buy health insurance, then declare bankruptcy and then you don't have to pay for any of your healthcare bills.
Private insurance companies will be be doing great. Their profits will continue to soar.
Pretty soon, no one will be able to afford health care insurance, and also medicare will probably be repealed, too.
Freedom.

[KansasCity-2012]

Thirty years ago in the 1980's when many industries were being deregulated, it puzzled me why the anti-trust exemption was not being cancelled on health care. Ronald Reagan used to complain about lobbyists, but the most successful ones did manage to keep health care invisible from the big deregulation push.

Today, I believe we paid with more blood to reform health care than we could have 30 years ago....and still didn't finish the job, because the anti-trust exemption is still in effect.

We have to go for the throat of health care demon and cancel the anti-trust exemption that still exists. When we finally do, doctor bills will go down to $10-$35 per visit. Medications will be cheap and there will be two types of people - the very healthy and the most unhealthy, simply because of health apathy...and that will be mainly because by choice.

The GOP's choice to brand Health Care as Obamacare will blow up in their faces. Time will prove that most citizens will benefit and cherish their newest life possibility created by democratic government.

[earlysaid]

Many republicans have no clue about the benefits of the Affordable Care Act and they never will with the Tea Pary Republican Supreme Court we have to put up with now. The GOP in Congress are simpletons who are more harmful than any republican Congress in years and years. The Senate has Mitch McConnel to stand against jobs bills, against infrastructure projects, against Violence Against Women legislation because of prejudice against gay women. We have seen the GOP and they are obstructionists against the economy recovering and against any jobs being created. The GOP were liars when they campaigned jobs, jobs, jobs and have done nothing at all to create any other job than their own so they can act like idiots. They have been a shameful disgrace to voters who did believe they would help with jobs.

[Josh408]

It's because of media prejudice toward conservative.

[occupy_cbs]

"If this law's thrown out, I think we're resigned to the status quo, which is a lot of people without access to health care for a long time," says Larry Levitt, an expert at the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan policy analysis organization. "I don't think there's any question about what lack of access to health care means: people get treated later, and some people die earlier as a result."

That also means continued health care cost increases, an expenditure that already eats up some $2.6 trillion a year -- about a fifth of all U.S. spending -- with insurance premiums having increased by 150% in the decade before the PPACA!

[Josh408]

Open up the market to allow interstate competition, even international competition. Create a strong economic environment so that every young people can get a job that offers health insurace instead of having them piggyback on their older parents' insurance until 26. OMG, 26?! When I was 26, I purchsed my first house and had my first child. My youngest daughter is 3rd year in college, she has not asked for any help from her parents since she was 2nd year in college.

[mach1ponie]

Remeber, the US is falling behing the rest of the world in every category, including health care. We are the only remaining country that willfully denies coverage to poor and sick. Dick Cheney gets a heart at age 71, I see poor people who's legs are rotting with diabetes.

My company is littered with non-Americans, all brilliant. Why? It is too difficult to find good US talent. My co-workers are the most talented hard working people I've ever seen.

The US lives and dies by media coverage and stupid Americans who watch cable news and listen to radio and then vote.

[occupy_cbs]

starving1968: "Of the people that approve or disapprove of it, how many know what's REALLY in it?"

"Not what Fox says is in it, but what is ACTUALLY IN IT?"




The law has yet to take full force, and key aspects, health experts argue, remain fundamentally misunderstood by the public.

This by far is the biggest problem, and I know that to be a fact simply because of those parroting the typical talking points and denying that there are definitely cost-saving attributes in the PPACA -- making health care more affordable than the current abysmal system.

Without a doubt, the fox/rush parrots continue to prove how little they know about the PPACA, but they are good at parroting the same republican talking points day in and day out!

[RealWorldNow]

You bet DJ and the CBO just reported two weeks ago that the bill will cost one trillion more than first estimated when you look past year 10 !

[infantryman1968]

Poll: 47% disapprove of Obama health care law


LOL!


CBS is being generous.......

[infantryman1968]

by starving1968-3 March 26, 2012 10:01 AM EDT
Of the people that approve or disapprove of it, how many know what's REALLY in it?

Not what Fox says is in it, but what is ACTUALLY IN IT?


LOL!

So your saying we should have read it before we signed it?

Really?

The elected officials that approved it didnt read it why should anyone else?

[bc-1948]

And how many disapprove because it isn't a single payer system?

Seniors disapproving it tells me that Fox propaganda works.. They already have a single payer system that have provided them great health care. Hmm....

[dkn1234]

Why isn't the title "Only 36% approve of Obama healthcare law"?

[mn070445]

This poll is so skewed. It doesn't matter. This administration along with the major news networks deserve to be tried for treason or citizens justice. I hope the board of directors of your network are proud of their part of ruining a once great country. They will eventually be held responsible for their actions!