According to Gallup, media coverage of the problems with the ObamaCare exchange website is the least of the president’s and Democrats’ problems. As of now, too few uninsured Americans (18 percent) — who are the primary target population for the exchanges — have even attempted to visit one of ObamaCare exchange websites.
Among uninsured Americans, only slightly fewer — 22 percent — say they even have plans to get insurance through the exchanges. The finds by Gallup are very much in line with reports and Secretary Sebelius’ own comments, which now claim enrollment will be “very low.” People’s Pundit Daily recently reported that documents provided by insurers showed only 5 sign-ups in the D.C. area.
These results are based on a series of questions Gallup asked uninsured Americans about the health exchanges from Oct. 23-Nov. 6.
Gallup had previously found that less than one-half of uninsured Americans — 44 percent — who reported plans to buy insurance coverage said they would purchase it through an exchange, while roughly 1 in 4 said they were “more likely” to pay a fine, rather than get insurance. While these findings, as noted by Frank Newport at Gallup, certainly help explain some of the abysmal numbers of uninsured Americans who have attempted to access the exchange websites, it doesn’t nearly suffice statistically.
“Still,” says Newport, “the fact that less than a quarter of uninsured Americans who say they plan to get insurance through an exchange have visited one so far suggests that other factors are at work.”
Perhaps, uninsured Americans are holding off until the problematic websites are fixed, or they may just be pushing off the decision until later. Even worse, however, two very probable possibilities Gallup didn’t even ask.
Perhaps, uninsured Americans cannot even afford insurance through the exchanges because, unless you are an ideological blind fool, everyone is well-aware that the so-called Affordable Care Act is making health insurance not-so affordable, particularly to middle Americans who are unfairly targeted to carry the burden.
Or, perhaps, the publicized ObamaCare website problems have instilled a deep distrust in the government — or, a lying president — to keep safe the sacred and private information exposed when an uninsured American uses the exchanges.
Nevertheless, the law is accomplishing none of the stated goals. Overall, about 17% of U.S. adults interviewed between Oct. 23 and Nov. 6 reported having no health insurance, similar to the percentages found in the first three quarters of this year. And the insurance is not at all affordable despite subsidies, unless of course, you are eligible to receive free substandard care under Medicaid.
