Support for law varies, poll shows
More than two-thirds of Massachusetts residents support the state's two-year-old, near-universal health insurance law, according to a new poll, but consumers most directly affected by the law are significantly less enthusiastic.
The survey by the Harvard School of Public Health and the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation found that 69 percent of those polled backed the law, an increase from the 61 percent who said they favored it two years ago when it was first adopted.
Yet when pollsters asked the same question of residents who have bought health insurance or changed policies because of the law, support dropped to 52 percent.
The survey also found that increasing numbers of residents believe the law is hurting some groups that it was designed to help, such as the poor, uninsured, and small businesses.
For instance, the percentage of those who think the uninsured are being hurt by the new law nearly doubled from 17 percent last year to 33 percent this year.
Still, respondents do not want to abandon the landmark law. When asked whether it should be repealed, continued as is, or continued but with changes, 70 percent opted to continue, but with changes. The poll did not ask what changes should be made.
Survey author Robert Blendon, professor of health policy and political analysis at Harvard, said the findings show a sophisticated understanding of a complex law.
"They are basically saying it's better to have people covered, even though there are problems here," Blendon said. "People are aware there are costs to this thing, yet they still hang in because they think it's the right thing to do."
The poll also asked respondents how the state should cover a projected $150 million shortfall in the insurance program this year. The most popular options were to increase the tax on cigarettes (which the Legislature did last month) and penalize businesses with many part-time employees who are using state-subsidized care.
The least-popular ideas were to increase the sales tax or limit the number who could receive subsidized healthcare.
KAY LAZAR 