WASHINGTON – A new poll finds that Americans are less worried that President Obama’s health overhaul will undermine their own care.

As the Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, the Associated Press-GfK poll shows that Americans are less concerned their own personal health care will suffer as a result of it.

Shortly after the law passed in 2010, nearly half — 47 percent — said they expected the quality of their care to worsen. Now just 32 percent say that’s their worry.

Most of the law’s major changes have yet to take effect, and dire predictions of lost jobs, soaring premiums and long waits to see the doctor have not materialized. Provisions that have gone into effect, including extended coverage for young adults on their parents’ insurance and relief for seniors with high prescription costs, only had a modest impact on health care spending.

Lee Sisson, 63, a semi-retired businessman from Winter Haven, Fla., says he figures that he might be better off personally as a result of the overhaul. For example, it would limit how much health insurance companies can charge older adults. But self-interest hasn’t made Sisson a supporter.

“As a guy that’s semi-retired, the law would probably benefit me, and I’m still against it because it’s not good for our country,” Sisson said.

He said he’s concerned about the cost of new government programs getting passed on to future generations.

Most of the drop in people saying they believe their care will worsen actually comes from those like Sisson, who are opposed to it. Of the law’s opponents, 55 percent now say their care will worsen. But in April 2010, soon after the law passed, that share was 67 percent.

Overall, half of Americans say they don’t think the quality of their care will change, while 14 percent expect it to improve.

The poll found that 35 percent of Americans support the health care law overhaul, while 47 percent oppose it. That’s about the same split as when it passed. Then, 39 percent supported it and 50 percent opposed it.

Opposition remains strongest among seniors, many of whom object that Medicare cuts were used to help finance coverage for younger uninsured people.

“We were supposed to have a nice, relaxed retirement, and now we are scared,” said Nancy Deister Knaack, 65, of Leawood, Kan., a retired special education teacher. “We don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Only about three in 10 say they understand the law extremely or very well. Most, 44 percent, say they understand it somewhat, while 29 percent say they understand it not too well or not well at all.

On the key issue before the Supreme Court, however, public opinion is clear. Nearly 6 in 10 say they oppose the law’s requirement that Americans carry health insurance, except in cases of financial hardship, or pay a fine to the government.

 

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