New High: 58% View Obamacare Unfavorably

Unfavorable views of the national health care law have risen to their highest levels this year.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 38% of Likely U.S. Voters now have at least a somewhat favorable opinion of the new national health care law. That’s down seven points from 45% a month ago. Fifty-eight percent (58%) view the law unfavorably, up five points from the previous survey and the highest finding in regular surveying since early January. These findings include 15% with a Very Favorable opinion of the law and 45% with a Very Unfavorable one, another high for the year. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Eleven percent (11%) of voters say they have been helped by the health care law, but nearly three times as many (30%) say they have been hurt by it. Fifty-four percent (54%) have felt no impact. The number who say they have been helped is down from 15% in October and is the lowest finding this year.

Twenty-eight percent (28%) say their health insurance has changed because of the law. Sixty-two percent (62%) say their insurance is unchanged. Nine percent (9%) more are not sure.

Little changed in surveys all year are the 62% who believe increased free market competition will do more to reduce health care costs than more government regulation. Twenty-two percent (22%) think more government regulation would be a better cost reducer. Fifteen percent (15%) are not sure.

Thirty-two percent (32%) of voters think having the federal government establish a single set of health care standards and regulations will do more to reduce costs than letting states compete to determine the most effective standards and guidelines. But 56% say state competition would do more to reduce health care costs. This is the highest level of support for more competition between the states this year. Thirteen percent (13%) are not sure.

Just 35% describe the new health care law as good for America, and 55% favor repealing it.

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on November 15-16, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Fifty-four percent (54%) of voters oppose Obamacare’s individual mandate which requires every American to have health insurance by January 1 or else face financial penalties. Just 34% support it.

Women are twice as likely as men to say they have been helped by the new law. Men are more likely to say they have been hurt by it. Men are also a bit more likely than women to say their health insurance has changed because of the law.

Married voters and those with children in the home view the law more unfavorably than those who are not married and don’t have children living with them. Voters who are married and have children at home are also more likely to say their health insurance has changed as a result of the health care law.

Sixty-six percent (66%) of Democrats continue to view the health care law favorably, although that’s down from 73% a month ago. Ninety percent (90%) of Republicans and 60% of voters not affiliated with either major party have an unfavorable opinion of the law.

Seventeen percent (17%) of voters in the president’s party say they have been helped by the law, compared to three percent (3%) of Republicans and 10% of unaffiliated voters. Forty-three percent (43%) of GOP voters and 32% of unaffiliateds say they have been hurt by the law, but just 18% of Democrats say the same. Democrats are also less likely to say they have had to change their health insurance.

Republicans overwhelmingly, along with most unaffiliated voters, favor more free market competition and increased competition between the states as the best way to lower health care costs. Pluralities of Democrats think more government regulation of the marketplace and a single set of government health care standards are the better way to bring those costs down.

Ninety-five percent (95%) of the Political Class have a favorable opinion of the health care law. Seventy-two percent (72%) of Mainstream voters view the law unfavorably.

Seventy-one percent (71%) of all voters think Americans should be allowed to keep their current health insurance policies even if they do not meet the standards set by the new law.

Fifty-five percent (55%) now give the president poor marks for his handling of issues related to health care, a new high for the year.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

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