Texans And Their Views On Obamacare

The chart above show the views of Texans when asked if they had a favorable or unfavorable opinion of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). This information comes from a University of Texas / Texas Tribune Poll (done between October 18th and October 27th of 1,200 registered voters in Texas, with a margin of error of 2.83 points).

At first glance, you might think that a significant majority of Texas voters don't like anything about Obamacare, and would love to see it repealed (as many of their GOP representatives have repeatedly been trying to do). After all, the unfavorable opinion of the health care reform is 21 points higher than the favorable opinion (which is shared by only 33% of voters.

But that is too simplistic, and doesn't really tell the whole story. The real truth is that Texas voters like almost everything about Obamacare. Look at what happens when they are queried about the individual aspects of the program:

SHOULD STATES HAVE THE OPTION TO EXPAND MEDICAID TO GIVE LOW-INCOME PEOPLE HEALTH CARE?
Yes...............67%
No...............27%

SHOULD BUSINESSES WITH LESS THAN 50 EMPLOYEES BE GIVEN TAX CREDITS TO HELP THEM PROVIDE HEALTH INSURANCE FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES?
Yes...............75%
No...............18%

SHOULD EMPLOYERS WITH MORE THAN 50 EMPLOYEES BE REQUIRED TO PAY A FINE FOR NOT PROVIDING HEALTH INSURANCE?
Yes...............49%
No...............43%

SHOULD LOW & MODERATE INCOME AMERICANS BE GIVEN FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO PURCHASE HEALTH INSURANCE?
Yes...............65%
No...............30%

SHOULD CHILDREN BE ALLOWED TO STAY ON THEIR PARENTS' INSURANCE PLAN UNTIL THE AGE OF 26?
Yes...............68%
No...............26%

SHOULD HEALTH INSURANCE EXCHANGES BE CREATED TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS SHOP FOR INSURANCE?
Yes...............73%
No...............19%

SHOULD INSURANCE COMPANIES BE PROHIBITED FROM DENYING COVERAGE DUE TO A PERSON'S MEDICAL RECORDS (PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS)?
Yes...............76%
No...............19%

SHOULD THE MEDICARE PAYROLL TAX BE INCREASED ON AMERICANS MAKING ABOVE $200,000?
Yes...............61%
No...............31%

Those are some pretty amazing numbers, because they show that Texans support nearly everything that Obamacare seeks to accomplish. Their is only one aspect of Obamacare that most Texans oppose -- the requirement to either have health insurance or pay a fine.

This tells me that the people understand our current health care system is broken, and they want something done about it. They want the changes to that system that Obamacare will bring. They just don't want to pay for it.

Unfortunately though, there are no "free lunches" -- not in health care, or anything else. And those other changes they approve of cannot be done without the one change they disapprove of -- making all Americans participate. If the insurance companies were forced to make those changes, but only were able to sell policies to those who were sick (or thought they might soon be sick), the premiums they would have to charge for those policies would be sky-high.

In addition, if those without policies get sick and cannot afford to pay the high medical bills, they will declare bankruptcy or ignore the bills -- and the cost of those bills will be added to the cost of health care in general (which will force insurance companies to raise premiums even further). Like it or not, the only way to keep health insurance premiums low is to make sure everyone participates -- even those who don't want to participate.

This may sound unfair to some, but there is precedent for it. For instance, everyone is required to have car insurance if they drive a car (even though who are safe drivers and never get involved in an accident) -- because this protects everyone, and keeps the rates low. Everyone will eventually need health insurance, so the requirement that everyone participate in the health insurance program is a good one -- protecting everyone, and keeping the rates low.

Of course, there is a way to keep the rates even lower (and still cover everyone with health insurance) -- going to a government-run, single-payer health insurance system (something like a Medicare for all system). Most other developed nations do that, and their per capita costs for health care are far lower than the health care costs in the United States.

Sadly though, we have had too many years of capitalist propaganda in this country, which has convinced too many Americans that "socialist health care" is a bad thing -- in spite of the fact that it works well in many other countries, including our friendly neighbor to the north. It will take a few more years of rising health care costs and rising insurance premiums to convince Americans that single-payer makes sense -- and the really crazy thing is that not requiring everyone to participate in Obamacare would hasten that realization.