Obamacare support hits an all-time high, poll reveals

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Pedro Rojas holds a sign directing people to an insurance company where they can sign up for the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

A new poll shows Americans’ approval of Obamacare, the 2010 Affordable Care Act, has risen to a new high of 57% as the clock ticks down to Dec. 31, when the enhanced pandemic-era healthcare subsidies will expire unless Congress intervenes.

These findings come from the West Health–Gallup Health and Healthcare Survey. 

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The Nov. 3–25 polling period overlapped with the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history, which concluded on Nov. 12. In the end, several Democratic senators joined Republicans in passing a continuing resolution to reopen the government, though it did not include an extension of the ACA insurance subsidies. 

A separate vote on those subsidies is expected later this week, according to Gallup. 

By the numbers:

Gallup has monitored Americans’ views of the ACA since November 2012, and the latest approval rating is three points higher than last year’s. 

That previous figure was in line with earlier peaks of 55% recorded in April 2017 and November 2020. 

Since 2017, approval has generally held at or above 50%, a notable shift from earlier years when support ranged between 37% and 48%.

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The nationwide rise in ACA approval is largely driven by a sharp uptick among political independents. 

Party differences remain significant: 91% of Democrats, 63% of independents, and 15% of Republicans approve of the law. While Democrats’ and Republicans’ ratings are similar to last year’s, independents’ approval has surged by 10 points, reaching a record high.

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Dig deeper:

Since November 2016, Gallup has asked Americans what they want to see happen to the ACA. Among those who approve of the law, opinions are currently split between keeping it in place with significant changes (49%) and keeping it largely as is (45%). Last year, the two views were evenly matched, and in the four prior surveys, supporters consistently favored making major changes to the ACA.

Meanwhile, among those who disapprove of the law, 72% say they would rather see it repealed and replaced, compared with 24% who prefer keeping it but making major changes. 

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This 48-point gap is the widest divide in preferences among ACA opponents ever recorded.

In total, 26% of Americans approve of the ACA and want it left as is, 28% approve but want significant changes, 9% disapprove but still support major revisions, and 25% disapprove and favor repeal.

Partisan views differ sharply. A majority of Republicans (62%) disapprove and back repealing the law. Nearly half of Democrats (49%) approve and prefer keeping the ACA unchanged, while 38% favor significant updates. Independents are divided, with 24% wanting the law kept as is and 34% seeking major changes.