Poll: many believe website problems foreshadow larger issues with law
WASHINGTON – Most Americans say the rocky start for HealthCare.gov is a harbinger of bigger problems for the Affordable Care Act, according to results of a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
Fifty-six percent of Americans say the website problems are part of a broader problem with the law's implementation, while just 40 percent see the website problems as an isolated incident. Reaction to insurance exchange website are deeply rooted in partisanship. More than eight in 10 Republicans say website troubles are a sign of broader implementation problems, while most Democrats call it an isolated incident. Independents resemble the public overall, with 55 percent seeing broader problems with implementation.
The bungled rollout has not soured support for the health law overall, however. Forty-six percent now support it, while 49 percent oppose it. That compares favorably to a 42 to 52 percent negative split last month.
One-third of the public, 33 percent, doesn't support the law and wants to repeal it, while 20 percent are not supporters but want to "let the health care law go ahead and see how it works." Hard-core opposition rests mainly among Republicans, 69 percent of whom oppose the law and 60 percent of whom say it should be repealed. That compares with a third of independents who want to repeal it and 10 percent of Democrats. The poll was conducted Oct. 17-20 among 1,002 adults. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. Washington Post
