With President Donald Trump promising to revive the repeal of the Affordable Care Act this week, a new poll of Central Valley residents offers insight into the local reaction to proposed changes to the law, commonly known as Obamacare. Overall, according to new research by Fresno State’s Institute for Leadership and Public Policy, 47% of Central Valley residents oppose repealing the law. 29% say they support partial repeal, while 17% say they want full repeal.
Since 2013, the law has resulted in the uninsured rate being cut in half.
Fresno State Political Science Professor Jeff Cummins says the data likely reflect a growing awareness of the impact of the law.
“The estimates here in the valley are that 15% of the population have benefited from Obamacare. That’s a pretty sizable number of people that have benefited as a result of this.” Cummins said.
There is a predictable partisan split, with just 19% of Republicans opposing repeal compared to 62% of Democrats.
All this comes at the same time President Trump is trying to use cost sharing payments in the law as a negotiating tactic. Some argue ending the payments could potentially unwind the private insurance exchange called Covered California.
New research out this week finds that nearly 1 million Californians benefit from those payments.
