HIGH POINT, N.C., Dec. 12, 2013 – Opposition to the Affordable Care Act has increased in North Carolina since January 2013, according to the latest High Point University Poll.
The poll found that 56 percent of all respondents oppose the law, while 31 percent favor it and 12 percent aren’t sure. That is compared to the 37 percent of all respondents who favored the law in January of 2013, while 52 percent opposed it.
As for visiting the government health insurance exchange website, 61 percent of respondents said they were unlikely to visit, 33 percent said they were likely to visit and 7 percent were unsure. However, the poll found a majority of uninsured North Carolinians would like to visit the government health insurance exchange website to find out if they are eligible for financial help or to enroll in a health plan.
“Interesting findings are revealed from the poll when the insured and uninsured in North Carolina are examined separately,” said Dr. Sojung Claire Kim, assistant professor of strategic communication at HPU. “Among the 14 percent of the North Carolinians who are currently uninsured, 60 percent would like to go or go back to the government health insurance exchange website to enroll in a health plan or find out if they are eligible for financial help to pay for their plan by March 31, 2014, the deadline set by the government for all American citizens to get insured. Overall, African Americans tend to be more favorable toward the Affordable Care Act and more likely to go to the government insurance exchange website than Caucasians.”
The poll found 14 percent of respondents said they were uninsured. Thirty-eight percent said they were insured through an employer, 26 percent are insured through a government program, 13 percent purchased their own insurance, 6 percent have insurance some other way and 3 percent said they weren’t sure.
Kim’s research focuses on how various communications thru emerging media influence public perceptions, attitudes and behaviors about controversial health and social issues.
All Adults – Affordable Care Act Favorability (Dec. 2013)
As you may know, a bill that makes major changes to the country’s health care system became law in 2010. Based on what you have read or heard about that legislation, do you generally favor or generally oppose it?
Favor – 31 percent
Oppose – 56 percent
Not Sure – 12 percent
(All adult (North Carolina resident) sample surveyed Dec. 2 – 5, 2013, n = 600 and margin of sampling error approximately = +/- 4.1 percent)
All Adults – Affordable Care Act Favorability (Jan. 2013)
As you may know, a bill that makes major changes to the country’s health care system became law in 2010. Based on what you have read or heard about that legislation, do you generally favor or generally oppose it?
Favor – 37 percent
Oppose – 52 percent
Don’t know/Refuse – 11 percent
(All adult (North Carolina resident) sample surveyed Jan. 27 – 31, 2013, n = 668 and margin of sampling error approximately = +/- 3.8 percent)
All Adults – Recommendations to visit health care website
A way to sign up for a health plan under the Affordable Care Act is to go to the online Health Insurance Marketplace for the state you live in, for instance, North Carolina. This is where you can learn about various health insurance options available to you under the Affordable Care Act. In the Marketplace, you can compare coverage options based on price, benefits, quality, and other features important to you. Would the people in your life whose opinions you value most think you should or should not get insurance through these online health exchanges website by March 31, 2014?
Definitely should – 20 percent
Should – 17 percent
Should not – 25 percent
Definitely should not – 23 percent
Not sure – 15 percent
(All adult (North Carolina resident) sample surveyed Dec. 2 – 5, 2013, n = 600 and margin of sampling error approximately = +/- 4.1 percent)
All Adults – Likely to visit website
How likely are you to go to or go back to the health exchange website by March 31, 2014, to enroll in a health plan or find out if you are eligible for financial help to pay for your plan?
Very Unlikely – 44 percent
Unlikely – 11 percent
Somewhat unlikely – 6 percent
Somewhat likely – 13 percent
Likely – 8 percent
Very likely – 12 percent
Not sure – 7 percent
(All adult (North Carolina resident) sample surveyed Dec. 2 – 5, 2013, n = 600 and margin of sampling error approximately = +/- 4.1 percent)
Uninsured Adults – Likely to visit website
How likely are you to go to or go back to the health exchange website by March 31, 2014, to enroll in a health plan or find out if you are eligible for financial help to pay for your plan?
Very Unlikely – 13 percent
Unlikely – 9 percent
Somewhat unlikely – 9 percent
Somewhat likely – 21 percent
Likely – 17 percent
Very likely – 22 percent
Not sure – 9 percent
(All adult (North Carolina resident) sample surveyed Dec. 2 – 5, 2013, n = 87 and margin of sampling error approximately = +/- 10.5 percent)
All Adults – Health coverage
What is your main source of health coverage? Would you say you are currently insured by an employer, currently insured through Medicare, Medicaid, or another federal government program, currently insured through insurance you purchased yourself, currently insured in another way or currently uninsured?
Through an employer – 38 percent
Government program – 26 percent
Insurance you purchased – 13 percent
Some other way – 6 percent
Uninsured – 14 percent
Not sure – 3 percent
(All adult (North Carolina resident) sample surveyed Dec. 2 – 5, 2013, n = 600 and margin of sampling error approximately = +/- 4.1 percent)
For the survey, SurveyUSA interviewed 600 state of North Carolina adults Dec. 2 – 5, 2013. Of the adults, 545 were self-identified registered voters. This research was conducted using blended sample, mixed mode. Respondents reachable on a home telephone (68 percent of adults) were interviewed on their home telephone in the recorded voice of a professional announcer. Respondents not reachable on a home telephone (32 percent of adults), were shown a questionnaire on their smartphone, laptop, tablet, or other electronic device.
Additional methodological explanation is available from SurveyUSA: http://www.surveyusa.com/client/methodology.aspx?g=d89aa88d-287f-4255-9687-db101bde0c3e.
Additional details including crosstabs of all these questions are available at the High Point
University Survey Research Center website: http://www.highpoint.edu/src/ for the Dec. 2013 poll or at http://acme.highpoint.edu/~mkifer/src/21memoc.pdf for the Jan. 2013 poll.
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