Poll Shows California Voters’ Health Law Support Improving
News outlets in California, Connecticut and Oregon examine issues related to the health law and how voters are viewing it -- including how the overhaul has impacted the cost of coverage as well as uninsured and poverty rates.
The Sacramento Bee: California Voters’ Support For Health Care Law Inches Up
The federal health care overhaul is garnering more support from California voters than at any time since its passage in 2010, but they believe the state could still do more to limit the amount insurance companies can charge customers for coverage, according to a new Field Poll. Some 56 percent of registered voters support the law and 35 percent are opposed, contrasting sharply with the national average showing 54 percent oppose and 41 percent approve. Growing approval for the law in California could undercut what many considered a potent issue for Republicans heading into the Nov. 4 election (Cadelago, 8/19).
The CT Mirror: Fact Check: What Impact Did Obamacare Have On CT’s Uninsured Rate?
State officials declared this month that the number of Connecticut residents without health insurance had been cut nearly in half -- from almost 8 percent of the population to 4 percent -- following the implementation of Obamacare. That 4 percent figure is almost certain to be a talking point in the coming months as Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, one of the officials touting the drop, campaigns for re-election. But unlike the data officials usually rely on to evaluate the uninsured rate, this figure was based on some unorthodox methods (Becker, 8/19).
The Oregonian: Poverty in Oregon: Interactive Maps Show Rising Medicaid Rates From Affordable Care Act
The implementation of the Affordable Care Act led to increased enrollment in Medicaid across all Oregon counties, state data show. At the same time, reliance on food stamps and welfare fell slightly as Oregonians continue their slow and steady climb out of the Great Recession. But the state isn't in the clear yet: More than one in five Oregonians continue to rely on food stamps, a stubbornly high rate that has remained about the same for years (Zheng, 8/18).
