Everyone is a critic. But when we open our mouths to talk about health care reform do we know what we are talking about? It would appear that an alarming amount of people don't. A professor recently passed a report along to me from the Kaiser Family Foundation on America's knowledge of the health care reform bill. The report surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,207 adults and asked them questions about the elements of the Affordable Care Act. Below I've attached a chart with the results of this study.
Notice the percentage of wrong answers to questions on some very important elements of the act. A staggering 40 percent of people surveyed actually believe the U.S. government has the ability to make end of life decisions for patients. 65 percent wrongfully believe that all U.S. businesses will be required to provide health care insurance to employees. These aren't numbers that can be brushed aside. The Affordable Care Act is one of the most significant pieces of legislation passed in years, and a good portion of the citizens it applies to have no idea what it says.
I am of the belief that everyone is entitled to an opinion, as long as its a rational one. Some good questions: Why do you think there is such a disconnect here? Whose job is it to educate the American public on such important legislation? Let's hear it.
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