A new Fox News poll shows just how much of a challenge the White House has in selling Obamacare before its October 1 debut, when its health-care insurance exchanges are set to begin operation.
A full 68 percent of voters are concerned about their health care under the new system, including 56 percent of Democrats. An all-time high of 58 percent of voters disapprove of how President Obama is handling health care with only 38 percent approving. A third of Democrats, two-thirds of independents and 83 percent of Republicans give him a thumbs-down.
In fact, President Obama is a clear drag on his own plan’s popularity. As Fox observed:
Some people call it the Affordable Care Act, while others call it the new health care law. Still others — including the Obama administration — call it Obamacare. Does it make a difference in how people feel about it?
The poll asks voters if they have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of the law. Half were asked using the phrase “the 2010 health care law called the Affordable Care Act,” while the other half were asked about “Obamacare.”
There’s a numerical but not statistically-significant advantage when the phrase “Affordable Care Act” is used: 39 percent have a favorable opinion of the law when it’s called that compared to 34 percent favorable when asked about “Obamacare.”
Likewise, 55 percent have an unfavorable view of the Affordable Care Act, while 60 percent have a negative opinion of Obamacare.
Republicans are eight points more likely to have an unfavorable opinion of Obamacare (83 percent) than the ACA (75 percent). Independents are also more inclined to respond negatively to Obamacare by 12 points.
Democrats have a favorable opinion whether it’s called ACA (60 percent) or Obamacare (59 percent).
As for President Obama’s overall approval rating, it has slumped to 40 percent in the Fox poll, with 31 percent of self-described liberals now disapproving.