Support for Massachusetts Health Reform Law

Chart 1

Given what you know about it, in general, do you support or oppose the Massachusetts Universal Health Insurance Law?

53%

63%

25%

21%

10%

9%

11%

6%

OpposeSupport Don’t know

September 2009

May 2011

Sources: Harvard School of Public Health/Boston Globe Massachusetts Health Reform Poll (conducted May 24-26, 2011); Harvard School of Public Health/Boston Globe Massachusetts Health Reform Poll (conducted September 14-16, 2009).

Not heard/read about law

Support for Massachusetts Health Reform Law

Chart 2

The law requires that all uninsured Massachusetts residents either purchase health insurance or pay a fine. If a state agency determines that a person can’t afford a policy, they would not be required to buy one or they would receive help paying part or all of their insurance premiums. Do you support or oppose state government requiring uninsured residents to purchase health insurance?

58%

51%

35%

44%

7%

4%

OpposeSupportDon’t know

September 2009*

May 2011

Sources: Harvard School of Public Health/Boston Globe Massachusetts Health Reform Poll (conducted May 24-26, 2011); Harvard School of Public Health/Boston Globe Massachusetts Health Reform Poll (conducted September 14-16, 2009).

*Note: 2009 question wording is slightly different: The law requires that all uninsured Massachusetts residents either purchase health insurance or pay a fine of up to 50% of what health insurance would cost. If a state agency determines that a person can’t afford a policy, they would not be required to buy one. People whose incomes fall below a certain level would receive help paying part or all of their insurance premiums. Do you support or oppose state government requiring uninsured residents to purchase health insurance?

9%

51%

20%

10%

7%

51%

23%

9%

Don't know

Continued withchanges

Continued as lawcurrently stands

Repealed

May 2011

September 2009

Chart 3

Sources: Harvard School of Public Health/Boston Globe Massachusetts Health Reform Poll (conducted May 24-26, 2011); Harvard School of Public Health/Boston Globe Massachusetts Health Reform Poll (conducted September 14-16, 2009).

Do you think the Massachusetts Health Insurance Reform Law should be repealed, continued as the law currently stands, or continued but with some changes made?

Opinion on Future Direction of Health Reform Law

13%

27%

22%

23%

53%

47%

52%

33%

13%

14%

30%

17%

Generally speaking, do you think the Massachusetts Health Insurance Reform Law is helping, hurting or not having much impact on…

Is helping

The quality of your care

Your ability to pay medical bills if you were to get sick

Not much impact

Perception of Whether the Law is Helping or Hurting Massachusetts Residents’ Own Situation

Is hurting

Chart 4

The cost of your care

Source: Harvard School of Public Health/Boston Globe Massachusetts Health Reform Poll (conducted May 24-26, 2011).

The length of time it takes for you to get an

appointment with a doctor

As you may know, the cost of health care has been rising for some people over the past few years. Do you think the rising cost of health care in Massachusetts is due mainly to this Health Insurance Law or due mainly to other factors?

Law’s Impact on Rising Cost of Health Care in Massachusetts

Chart 5

Source: Harvard School of Public Health/Boston Globe Massachusetts Health Reform Poll (conducted May 24-26, 2011).

6%

72%

20%

Don't know

Due mainly to otherfactors

Due mainly to thishealth insurance law

Methodology

The Massachusetts Health Reform Poll was conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health and the Boston Globe. Representatives of the two organizations worked closely to develop the survey questionnaire and analyze the results of the poll. The Boston Globe and the Harvard School of Public Health are publishing independent summaries of the poll’s findings, and each organization bears sole responsibility for the work that appears under its name. The Harvard School of Public Health and the Boston Globe paid for the survey and related expenses.

The project team was lead by Robert J. Blendon, a professor who holds joint appointments in the Harvard School of Public Health and the Harvard Kennedy School, and Gideon Gil, Health and Science editor of the Boston Globe. The Harvard research team also included Gillian K. SteelFisher, Johanna R. Mailhot and Kathleen J. Weldon.

Interviews were conducted with 537 randomly selected Massachusetts state residents age 18 and older via telephone (including cell phones and land lines) by Social Science Research Solutions of Media, Pennsylvania. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish. The interviewing period was May 24-26, 2011. The data were weighted to reflect the demographics of the state’s adult population as described by the U.S. Census.

When interpreting these findings, one should recognize that all surveys are subject to sampling error. Results may differ from what would be obtained if the whole Massachusetts adult population had been interviewed. The sampling error is ±5.32 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. The size of this error varies with the number of persons surveyed and the magnitude of difference in responses to each question.