Image thanks to the Kaiser Foundation Apparently the American public doesn’t know.

Does all the noise out of Washington leave you confused?

You have screaming politicians, bleating pundits and loud lobbyists all hurling their spin your way.

The cacophony makes it hard to distinguish truthful statements from spin.

Now a new research poll suggests the nasty noise is blurring the citizens understanding of policy.

A poll done by the Kaiser Family Foundation was released on Monday, measuring the public’s knowledge about America’s health care reform bill.

It seems a large number of uninsured Americans don’t realize the law was created to help them.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA)has been the target of much partisan debate, both during its passage last year and in the most recent session of Congress, when Republicans in the House attempted to repeal it.

Among the numbers gleaned from Kaiser’s poll on the ACA:

it appears that only about half of uninsured people have any idea that help is on the way. And fewer than a third (31 percent) say they think the law will help them obtain health insurance.

A few quick facts on the ACA:

• The act will extend insurance coverage to over 30 million uninsured individuals
• It allows young adults to be covered by their parents’ insurance until the age of 26
• The ACA requires everyone to have some form of health insurance
• Medicaid will be expanded to cover more low-income adults
• New tax credits will be provided to low- and middle-income households to help cover the costs of health insurance

And perhaps most concerning is that misconceptions are increasing.  In a similar poll conducted last December, 72 percent of respondents knew that the ACA would provide financial help to those purchasing health insurance.  In this go round of the poll, only 58 percent knew so.

One reason for these misunderstandings may be that some of the biggest effects of the bills won’t be implemented until 2014.

The president of the Kaiser Foundation also speculates that

People who are busy in their everyday lives (and who are being bombarded by a highly spun, confusing political debate about the ACA), will only understand what a complex law like this does when it is tangible for them…when there is real insurance coverage available for people who don’t have it…These benefits will technically be available in 2014…but will be 2015 or 2016 before there is a real test of awareness and affordability.

However, Washington Post blogger Sarah Kliff writes that this poll shows a failure for both major parties in effectively communicating their message about health care.

Despite their best efforts, Republicans and Democrats see their bases gravitating away from them on health reform. Since March, when the law passed, the number of Republicans who have a favorable opinion has gone up by 9 points. Over that same time period, Democratic approval ratings fell by 10 points…Both sides, it seems are losing the message war.

What do you think?  Are politicians not communicating their message well?  Or will it take time until the benefits go into effect for people to make up their minds about health care reform?

Image thanks to the LA Times!

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