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Running head: AFFORDABLE CARE ACT 1

Affordable Care Act


Allison E. Bilbo
Sociology 1860
South College
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Abstract

I will be summarizing and critiquing the work of Jeffrey M. Jones on Americans Credit ACA on

Access, but Mixed About Cost Poll. The poll was completed during the time of November 2-8,

2017. It was published on November 27, 2017. In this poll, Jones questioned a group of people

on their thoughts about cost of insurance and ease of access to health. The study details how

common people of America and the government feel about the progress of the bill. This paper

discusses the results of this poll and findings


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Affordable Care Act

Summary

“President Barack Obama signed the healthcare reform act -- also known as

"Obamacare" -- into law in 2010. Beginning in 2014, the law required Americans to carry health

insurance or pay a tax penalty. To facilitate access to insurance, the law set up health insurance

exchanges that offered subsidies for many Americans. Republicans in Congress have tried,

unsuccessfully, to repeal the law in recent years” (Jones,2017). ACA being passed has been

labeled as one of the most controversial laws in the past decade. With this law, any American

that did not maintain active health insurance for the year is forced to pay a tax penalty at the

closure of year. Individual mandate has been eliminated by a provision on the tax law set forth

by Republicans, yet both Democratic and Republican parties have concerns that this bill has not

reduced cost for the American people or the Federal Government.

The subject questions asked in this poll are as follows:

Question one:

Poll Question One Very/somewhat successful Very/Somewhat unsuccessful

Expanding Americans' access 65% 33%

to healthcare coverage

Reducing the cost of 47% 50%

healthcare for Americans


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Question two:

Poll Question Two Democrats Independents Republicans

Expanding

Americans' access to

healthcare coverage

Very/Somewhat 86% 67% 37%

successful

Very/Somewhat 14% 29% 60%

unsuccessful

Reducing the cost of

healthcare for

Americans

Very/Somewhat 72% 49% 12%

successful

Question three:

Poll question U.S. adults Democrats Independents Republicans

three

Expanded access 43% 68% 46% 8%

and reduced

costs
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Expanded access 20% 16% 18% 29%

but not reduced

costs

Reduced costs 3% 4% 2% 3%

but not expanded

access

Not expanded 28% 8% 27% 56%

access or

reduced costs

(Jones, 2017).

According to Jeffrey M. Jones (2017), 65% of Americans say that the ACA has been

successfully expanded access to coverage. The public is divided on whether healthcare costs has

been successfully reduced, and the Democrats see this law as successful and Republicans deem if

ineffective (Jones, 2017). The subjects that participated in this poll were contacted November 2-

8 with a random sample of 1,028 adults. The breakdown goes as follows, five hundred forty-five

men over the age of eighteen, four hundred and eighty-three women over the age of eighteen,

and out of the 1,028 contacted five hundred fifty-six adults who are employed at least full or

part-time. These interviewees were contacted by telephone/cell phone numbers, with an

interviewer that speaks English and Spanish. With each number being selected at random-digit-

dial methods, 70% of the poll was over cell phone lines leaving 30% land lines (Jones,2017).

Upon reading this poll it seems that the Americans are almost divided on the topic of

whether if the ACA has reduced the cost of health insurance. Jones poll also uncovered that 65%

of Americans found that it did in fact expand access to healthcare coverage, but with cost of
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health insurance getting mixed reviews from all sides. The Democrats and Republicans have

completely different views on the poll, being that the Democrats having 86% of the poll saying

that it has been successful in expanding access to coverage versus 37% of Republicans saying it

has not been successful. Two- thirds (67%) of the Independents saying it has been successful in

giving Americans access to health insurance. The Democrats, Republicans, and Independents are

much more divided on this issue, democrats having 72%, Republicans having 49%, and

independents having 12%. Nine out of ten Republicans in this poll state that this law has not

been successful on reducing costs for affordable health insurance (Jones, 2017).

Out of the four groups in this poll, the U.S. adult, Democrats, Independents, and

Republicans have very different views on this matter. 43% of U.S. adults feel that the Affordable

Care Act has done both in regards of expanding and reducing cost, while 28% of Americans

think that is has done neither (giving access or reducing cost). One in four Americans feel the

Affordable Care Act has done one but not the other. While the Democrats, Republicans, and

Independents are divided on how they view this bill (Jones, 2017).

Critique

In my reading of this poll I found that the margin of error is +-4% at a 95% confidence

level, leaving me to believe that this poll is not as accurate as it should be as the margin should

be +- 3% or less. I find that this poll needed more American influence and not as much of a

political influence, since the government does not have to have this type of insurance their

opinion should have not been included within this poll. This poll would have had a stronger

influence if the was directed strongly only in the American population, and it would have given

more accurate numbers as to how the American people feel about this bill.
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The questions that were asked in this poll were, did the Affordable Care Act, “expanding

Americans' access to healthcare coverage and did the Affordable Care Act reducing the cost of

healthcare for Americans” (Jones, 2017). These questions are clear and precise, very easy to

understand, and gives this poll a good leg to stand on Although I feel that it is not based on the

full opinion of the American population given that it is the American people who should have a

voice on the matter of whether or not this bill has done its job of giving access to health

insurance and lower the cost of health insurance for all American people.

I would like to point out that the average American now has health insurance, since the

government helps with subsidies to help each person pay for this insurance. This has led to

increases of premiums that are sold on the health insurance markets. Leading into the topic of the

American that does not qualify for these subsidies end up paying much more for their insurance,

making it hard for families to maintain health coverage.

The Republicans (56%) within this poll have pointed out that they feel that this law has

been unsuccessful in providing insurance and reducing cost for Americans. In my readings of

this poll I found that 29% republicans do feel that it has succeeded in providing insurance, but it

only raised the cost of insurance for most (Jones, 2017). On the Democrat side, 68% feel that it

has been a successful law in helping Americans gain access to health care coverage.

According to this article, the American people, Democrats, and Republicans are clearly

divided on the matter of ACA. This poll needs to be more focused on the American people. I

think with more influence by the voice of the American people this bill could help tremendous

amount of people, but the government needs to step back and listen to its country and how they

feel about this bill.


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Reference

Jones, J. M. (2017, November 27). 8. Retrieved from Gallup: www.news.gallup.com/poll

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