Poll Results: Give Health Care Law a Chance

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Patch poll asking whether President Barack Obama’s health care legislation should be given time to season, be repealed or changed.

Of the 637 people who took the poll, 370 alone to see how it works, 198 want it repealed and 69 want to repeal objectionable parts and keep the rest.

, 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.

, said after the Supreme Court decision no changes should be made before the law’s provisions are given a chance to work.

agrees with Schneider’s position praising the bill for already helping 86 million Americans. 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 writes. “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 writes. “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 writes. “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 writes. “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 writes. “We are not the United States of Republicans, nor are we the United States of Democrats.”