Poll Results: Give Health Care Law a Chance
A majority of Patch readers responding to an unscientific poll want to give the Affordable Care Act a chance to work.
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Give the Affordable Care Act (ACA) a chance.
That was the opinion of a majority of readers who responded to an unscientific Patch poll asking whether President Barack Obama’s health care legislation should be given time to season, be repealed or changed.
Earlier: What Should Be Done With Obamacare?
Of the 637 people who took the poll, 370 want to leave the new law recently upheld by the United States Supreme Court alone to see how it works, 198 want it repealed and 69 want to repeal objectionable parts and keep the rest.
Rep. Robert Dold (R-Kenilworth), who voted just over a year ago for repeal, wants to change parts of the law keeping provisions like letting children under 26 remain on their parents’ coverage and prohibiting insurance companies from denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions.
Deerfield’s Brad Schneider, the Democrat opposing Dold in the Nov. 6 general election, said after the Supreme Court decision no changes should be made before the law’s provisions are given a chance to work.
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Evanston) agrees with Schneider’s position praising the bill for already helping 86 million Americans. Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Highland Park) would like to see changes now.
There was no shortage of debate among Patch readers as the story introducing the poll motivated 212 comments with scores of opinions. Reader Richard Schulte is one who favors repeal.
“The truth is that a majority of Americans support the repeal of Obamacare,” Schulte wrote. “Democrats say that they believe in majority rule. Well, the majority of Americans say repeal Obamacare. I agree with the Democrats on the issue of majority rule.”
Doug Daluga immediately responded to Schulte writing the vote Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) promised Monday will never reach the President’s desk for a signature or veto.
“Of course the house will vote to repeal the ACA,” Daluga wrote. “The Republicans know it gives them cover with their supporters. They also know that it will go nowhere once it hits the Senate. It's yet another example of the Republicans wasting time on futile shows of partisanship.”
Other readers like Ken Smith like parts of the legislation, but are opposed to the individual mandate requiring people to have health insurance under certain circumstances.
“I agree some parts such as the kids to age 26 and no pre-existing conditions should stay but the dang mandate telling millions who can afford it to buy it should go,” Smith wrote. “I work in the industry and I know insurance companies are just waiting to charge much more in premiums.”
Another reader, Alan Nudelman, thinks the new law will help Americans in the same way Medicare assists older citizens.
“It's been 47 years since Medicare was enacted,” Nudelman wrote. “I have not heard a single person or politician say it should be repealed. It's a blessing for people facing the rising costs of getting older. It guarantees medical care for people over 65 and some other groups as well.”
Fred Spagat just wants the bickering between the parties to end. “This partisan politics needs to end,” he wrote. “We are not the United States of Republicans, nor are we the United States of Democrats.”
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SSLF
8:29 am on Saturday, July 7, 2012
It is so irritating to me that anyone would be as naive to say "give it a chance". Once we have "given it a chance" the entire foundation of our current system will be gone, a huge new entitlement will have been created, and we'll be stuck. This is all or nothing, people. A 2500 page bill changes everything. There is no "giving it a chance" because there is no going back.
Daniel
1:56 pm on Saturday, July 7, 2012
What most people in America don't realize is that all of the consequences that Republicans talk about (while reasonable to an extent) haven't actually happened in any place an individual mandate has been enacted. For instance, on the state level, Massachusetts has an individual mandate and their costs of healthcare have NOT skyrocketed, coverage has been expanded, and the program is largely regarded as a success. A better example is in Switzerland. A country similar in many way to us, the Swiss implemented an individual mandate. Their program has also been a success and their healthcare costs are much lower than ours, they have a lower infant mortality rate, etc. etc. Fareed Zakaria recently had a special on CNN that explored the healthcare systems of all other countries and while he founds wait and budget problems in European socialized medicine such as in England or Canada, a private insurance mandate is a successful form of healthcare as it has been in place for 18 years in Switzerland without healthcare costs rising (any more that in America at least), jobs being lost, etc. Remember the people who first thought of an individual mandate was the ULTRA conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation. Its economically and empirically sound so yes I think they should give it a chance.
Me
11:37 am on Monday, July 9, 2012
@SSLF - You are writing as though the system that we currently have is a good one. Where is it written that the individual mandate is an entitlement? I am reading that it makes the individual responsible for purchasing their own health insurance (as they should be). If we got rid of this dinosaur system where health insurance is provided by the employer instead of by the individual, it would be a much better world for all employers and employees. Think how much more efficient it would be if your employer paid you directly and you were mandated to purchase your health insurance and the insurance company was mandated to sell it to you.
Gone would be the days when a small business would see its premiums skyrocket because a couple of people were taken ill in the same year. Gone would be the days when the employer would hit hard financial times and then discontinue making health insurance premium payments without telling the employees. Gone would be the days of being force-fed the insurance coverage that your employer negotiated for you, not because it was best for you, but because it was cheapest for them.
A true individual mandate puts us in charge of our own destiny. It is the most Libertarian of all concepts. It puts the individual in charge of her/his own health care and takes the government and employer out of the equation. The only caveat is that you must buy insurance. There is not an opt out clause.
karl
10:35 am on Saturday, July 7, 2012
sslf r e only thinking about one self or ALL the people it well help? you know repub's already have this for all there kids in congress.
Clay
5:48 pm on Saturday, July 7, 2012
I may be crazy, but politicians are probably missing the crux of the problem on purpose. It a vicious circle drien by the fear of and the settlement of tort claims by the medical industry. This national healthcare only add more cost to the archaic system which does nothing but feed the lawyers and insurers. Put limits on the court system. That will ease the insurers risks, that will in turn help lower the deliverers of medicine costs, which we would hope gets passed on to the end user making it more affordable for all. Am I being too cynical? Medicine sure was more affordable before insurance was introduced, drug companies not pushing bad medicine, and the courts handing out big settlements You now the days of house calls..
Gary
10:28 am on Monday, July 9, 2012
ObamaCare will create over 100 new federal government agencies with well over 100,000 new federal employees... and their pensions. They are hiring 1,000's of new IRS agents.
The plan does not hire a single new doctor.
ObamaCare isn't about health care. It never was.
Me
11:23 am on Monday, July 9, 2012
@Gary - Really, 100 new agencies, 100,000 new employees, really???? What is your source on this? I am tired of the political spin doctoring that is spread by the right and left wing propaganda mills. Need some REAL facts.
Gary
11:49 am on Monday, July 9, 2012
I appreciate your skepticism, and I admit I got it wrong. Apparently ObamaCare creates 159 new government agencies!
http://www.saveyourrights.com/government-control/the-new-labyrinthine-bureaucracy-of-obamacare-159-new-ones-to-streamline-and-decrease-cost-of-healthcare/
I failed to do my homework and you called me on it. Now... do you really think it will take less than 100,000 new federal employees to run those 159 government agencies?
Me
1:52 pm on Monday, July 9, 2012
81. Grant program to promote health professionals entering geriatrics (Section 5305, p. 1339) .
I guess that doctors who treat old people aren't real doctors after all. It would be easier if they just died quietly.
Gary
11:51 am on Monday, July 9, 2012
... and here they are.
Below is a list of new boards and commissions created in the Obamacare bill.
1. Grant program for consumer assistance offices (Section 1002, p. 37)
2. Grant program for states to monitor premium increases (Section 1003, p. 42)
3. Committee to review administrative simplification standards (Section 1104, p. 71)
4. Demonstration program for state wellness programs (Section 1201, p. 93)
5. Grant program to establish state Exchanges (Section 1311(a), p. 130)
6. State American Health Benefit Exchanges (Section 1311(b), p. 131)
7. Exchange grants to establish consumer navigator programs (Section 1311(i), p. 150)
8. Grant program for state cooperatives (Section 1322, p. 169)
9. Advisory board for state cooperatives (Section 1322(b)(3), p. 173)
10. Private purchasing council for state cooperatives (Section 1322(d), p. 177)
11. State basic health plan programs (Section 1331, p. 201)
12. State-based reinsurance program (Section 1341, p. 226)
13. Program of risk corridors for individual and small group markets (Section 1342, p. 233)
14. Program to determine eligibility for Exchange participation (Section 1411, p. 67)
15. Program for advance determination of tax credit eligibility (Section 1412, p. 288)
16. Grant program to implement health IT enrollment standards (Section 1561, p. 370)
17. Federal Coordinated Health Care Office for dual eligible beneficiaries (Section 2602, p. 512)
Gary
11:52 am on Monday, July 9, 2012
18. Medicaid quality measurement program (Section 2701, p. 518)
19. Medicaid health home program for people with chronic conditions, and grants for planning same (Section 2703, p. 524)
20. Medicaid demonstration project to evaluate bundled payments (Section 2704, p. 532)
21. Medicaid demonstration project for global payment system (Section 2705, p. 536)
22. Medicaid demonstration project for accountable care organizations (Section 2706, p. 538)
23. Medicaid demonstration project for emergency psychiatric care (Section 2707, p. 540)
24. Grant program for delivery of services to individuals with postpartum depression (Section 2952(b), p. 591)
25. State allotments for grants to promote personal responsibility education programs (Section 2953, p. 596)
26. Medicare value-based purchasing program (Section 3001(a), p. 613)
27. Medicare value-based purchasing demonstration program for critical access hospitals (Section 3001(b), p. 637)
28. Medicare value-based purchasing program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 3006(a), p. 666)
29. Medicare value-based purchasing program for home health agencies (Section 3006(b), p. 668)
30. Interagency Working Group on Health Care Quality (Section 3012, p. 688)
31. Grant program to develop health care quality measures (Section 3013, p. 693)
32. Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (Section 3021, p. 712)
33. Medicare shared savings program (Section 3022, p. 728)
Gary
11:53 am on Monday, July 9, 2012
34. Medicare pilot program on payment bundling (Section 3023, p. 739)
35. Independence at home medical practice demonstration program (Section 3024, p. 752)
36. Program for use of patient safety organizations to reduce hospital readmission rates (Section 3025(b), p. 775)
37. Community-based care transitions program (Section 3026, p. 776)
38. Demonstration project for payment of complex diagnostic laboratory tests (Section 3113, p. 800)
39. Medicare hospice concurrent care demonstration project (Section 3140, p. 850)
40. Independent Payment Advisory Board (Section 3403, p. 982)
41. Consumer Advisory Council for Independent Payment Advisory Board (Section 3403, p. 1027)
42. Grant program for technical assistance to providers implementing health quality practices (Section 3501, p. 1043)
43. Grant program to establish interdisciplinary health teams (Section 3502, p. 1048)
44. Grant program to implement medication therapy management (Section 3503, p. 1055)
45. Grant program to support emergency care pilot programs (Section 3504, p. 1061)
46. Grant program to promote universal access to trauma services (Section 3505(b), p. 1081)
47. Grant program to develop and promote shared decision-making aids (Section 3506, p. 1088)
48. Grant program to support implementation of shared decision-making (Section 3506, p. 1091)
49. Grant program to integrate quality improvement in clinical education (Section 3508, p. 1095)
Gary
11:53 am on Monday, July 9, 2012
50. Health and Human Services Coordinating Committee on Women's Health (Section 3509(a), p. 1098)
51. Centers for Disease Control Office of Women's Health (Section 3509(b), p. 1102)
52. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Office of Women's Health (Section 3509(e), p. 1105)
53. Health Resources and Services Administration Office of Women's Health (Section 3509(f), p. 1106)
54. Food and Drug Administration Office of Women's Health (Section 3509(g), p. 1109)
55. National Prevention, Health Promotion, and Public Health Council (Section 4001, p. 1114)
56. Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health (Section 4001(f), p. 1117)
57. Prevention and Public Health Fund (Section 4002, p. 1121)
58. Community Preventive Services Task Force (Section 4003(b), p. 1126)
59. Grant program to support school-based health centers (Section 4101, p. 1135)
60. Grant program to promote research-based dental caries disease management (Section 4102, p. 1147)
61. Grant program for States to prevent chronic disease in Medicaid beneficiaries (Section 4108, p. 1174)
62. Community transformation grants (Section 4201, p. 1182)
63. Grant program to provide public health interventions (Section 4202, p. 1188)
64. Demonstration program of grants to improve child immunization rates (Section 4204(b), p. 1200)
65. Pilot program for risk-factor assessments provided through community health centers (Section 4206, p. 1215)
Gary
11:54 am on Monday, July 9, 2012
66. Grant program to increase epidemiology and laboratory capacity (Section 4304, p. 1233)
67. Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee (Section 4305, p. 1238)
68. National Health Care Workforce Commission (Section 5101, p. 1256)
69. Grant program to plan health care workforce development activities (Section 5102(c), p. 1275)
70. Grant program to implement health care workforce development activities (Section 5102(d), p. 1279)
71. Pediatric specialty loan repayment program (Section 5203, p. 1295)
72. Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program (Section 5204, p. 1300)
73. Allied Health Loan Forgiveness Program (Section 5205, p. 1305)
74. Grant program to provide mid-career training for health professionals (Section 5206, p. 1307)
75. Grant program to fund nurse-managed health clinics (Section 5208, p. 1310)
76. Grant program to support primary care training programs (Section 5301, p. 1315)
77. Grant program to fund training for direct care workers (Section 5302, p. 1322)
78. Grant program to develop dental training programs (Section 5303, p. 1325)
79. Demonstration program to increase access to dental health care in underserved communities (Section 5304, p. 1331)
80. Grant program to promote geriatric education centers (Section 5305, p. 1334)
81. Grant program to promote health professionals entering geriatrics (Section 5305, p. 1339)
82. Grant program to promote training in mental and behavioral health (Section 5306, p. 1344)
Gary
11:54 am on Monday, July 9, 2012
83. Grant program to promote nurse retention programs (Section 5309, p. 1354)
84. Student loan forgiveness for nursing school faculty (Section 5311(b), p. 1360)
85. Grant program to promote positive health behaviors and outcomes (Section 5313, p. 1364)
86. Public Health Sciences Track for medical students (Section 5315, p. 1372)
87. Primary Care Extension Program to educate providers (Section 5405, p. 1404)
88. Grant program for demonstration projects to address health workforce shortage needs (Section 5507, p. 1442)
89. Grant program for demonstration projects to develop training programs for home health aides (Section 5507, p. 1447)
90. Grant program to establish new primary care residency programs (Section 5508(a), p. 1458)
91. Program of payments to teaching health centers that sponsor medical residency training (Section 5508(c), p. 1462)
92. Graduate nurse education demonstration program (Section 5509, p. 1472)
93. Grant program to establish demonstration projects for community- based mental health settings (Section 5604, p. 1486)
94. Commission on Key National Indicators (Section 5605, p. 1489)
95. Quality assurance and performance improvement program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 6102, p. 1554)
96. Special focus facility program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 6103(a)(3), p. 1561)
97. Special focus facility program for nursing facilities (Section 6103(b)(3), p. 1568)
Gary
11:55 am on Monday, July 9, 2012
98. National independent monitor pilot program for skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities (Section 6112, p. 1589)
99. Demonstration projects for nursing facilities involved in the culture change movement (Section 6114, p. 1597)
100. Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (Section 6301, p. 1619)
101. Standing methodology committee for Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (Section 6301, p. 1629)
102. Board of Governors for Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (Section 6301, p. 1638)
103. Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund (Section 6301(e), p. 1656)
104. Elder Justice Coordinating Council (Section 6703, p. 1773)
105. Advisory Board on Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation (Section 6703, p. 1776)
106. Grant program to create elder abuse forensic centers (Section 6703, p. 1783)
107. Grant program to promote continuing education for long-term care staffers (Section 6703, p. 1787)
108. Grant program to improve management practices and training (Section 6703, p. 1788)
109. Grant program to subsidize costs of electronic health records (Section 6703, p. 1791)
110. Grant program to promote adult protective services (Section 6703, p. 1796)
111. Grant program to conduct elder abuse detection and prevention (Section 6703, p. 1798)
112. Grant program to support long-term care ombudsmen (Section 6703, p. 1800)
113. National Training Institute for long-term care surveyors (Section 6703, p. 1806)
Gary
11:56 am on Monday, July 9, 2012
114. Grant program to fund State surveys of long-term care residences (Section 6703, p. 1809)
115. CLASS Independence Fund (Section 8002, p. 1926)
116. CLASS Independence Fund Board of Trustees (Section 8002, p. 1927)
117. CLASS Independence Advisory Council (Section 8002, p. 1931)
118. Personal Care Attendants Workforce Advisory Panel (Section 8002(c), p. 1938)
119. Multi-state health plans offered by Office of Personnel Management (Section 10104(p), p. 2086)
120. Advisory board for multi-state health plans (Section 10104(p), p. 2094)
121. Pregnancy Assistance Fund (Section 10212, p. 2164)
122. Value-based purchasing program for ambulatory surgical centers (Section 10301, p. 2176)
123. Demonstration project for payment adjustments to home health services (Section 10315, p. 2200)
124. Pilot program for care of individuals in environmental emergency declaration areas (Section 10323, p. 2223)
125. Grant program to screen at-risk individuals for environmental health conditions (Section 10323(b), p. 2231)
126. Pilot programs to implement value-based purchasing (Section 10326, p. 2242)
127. Grant program to support community-based collaborative care networks (Section 10333, p. 2265)
128. Centers for Disease Control Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
129. Health Resources and Services Administration Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
Gary
11:56 am on Monday, July 9, 2012
130. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
131. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
132. Food and Drug Administration Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
133. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
134. Grant program to promote small business wellness programs (Section 10408, p. 2285)
135. Cures Acceleration Network (Section 10409, p. 2289)
136. Cures Acceleration Network Review Board (Section 10409, p. 2291)
137. Grant program for Cures Acceleration Network (Section 10409, p. 2297)
138. Grant program to promote centers of excellence for depression (Section 10410, p. 2304)
139. Advisory committee for young women's breast health awareness education campaign (Section 10413, p. 2322)
140. Grant program to provide assistance to provide information to young women with breast cancer (Section 10413, p. 2326)
141. Interagency Access to Health Care in Alaska Task Force (Section 10501, p. 2329)
142. Grant program to train nurse practitioners as primary care providers (Section 10501(e), p. 2332)
143. Grant program for community-based diabetes prevention (Section 10501(g), p. 2337)
144. Grant program for providers who treat a high percentage of medically underserved populations (Section 10501(k), p. 2343)
Gary
11:57 am on Monday, July 9, 2012
145. Grant program to recruit students to practice in underserved communities (Section 10501(l), p. 2344)
146. Community Health Center Fund (Section 10503, p. 2355)
147. Demonstration project to provide access to health care for the uninsured at reduced fees (Section 10504, p. 2357)
148. Demonstration program to explore alternatives to tort litigation (Section 10607, p. 2369)
149. Indian Health demonstration program for chronic shortages of health professionals (S. 1790, Section 112, p. 24)*
150. Office of Indian Men's Health (S. 1790, Section 136, p. 71)*
151. Indian Country modular component facilities demonstration program (S. 1790, Section 146, p. 108)*
152. Indian mobile health stations demonstration program (S. 1790, Section 147, p. 111)*
153. Office of Direct Service Tribes (S. 1790, Section 172, p. 151)*
154. Indian Health Service mental health technician training program (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 173)*
155. Indian Health Service program for treatment of child sexual abuse victims (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 192)*
156. Indian Health Service program for treatment of domestic violence and sexual abuse (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 194)*
157. Indian youth telemental health demonstration project (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 204)*
158. Indian youth life skills demonstration project (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 220)*
159. Indian Health Service Director of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment (S. 1790, Section 199B, p. 258)*
Gary
11:57 am on Monday, July 9, 2012
It isn't about health care folks.
Gary
12:02 pm on Monday, July 9, 2012
My personal favorite is number 3!
3. Committee to review administrative simplification standards (Section 1104, p. 71)
Positively Orwellian.