Happy With ObamaCare? Millions Respond With A ‘Yes!’

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Sara Kliff: The Best Study Done So Far Shows People With Obamacare Plans Like Their Plans

1) Most Obamacare enrollees like their coverage: The survey of Obamacare enrollees shows that about three-quarters (74 percent) rate their coverage as “excellent” or “good.” And 59 percent say that given what they’re paying, their plan is of “excellent” or “good” value. Here are five things we learned about Obamacare enrollees’ experience.

2) Obamacare enrollees are happy with doctor choice: When KFF drilled down further into what Obamacare enrollees do and don’t like about their plans, it found that most people were pretty happy with the choice of doctors — a somewhat surprising finding, given the fact that marketplace plans have relatively narrow networks.

More here

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Kaiser Family Foundation: Survey Of Non-Group Health Insurance Enrollees, Wave 2

A large majority of those who renewed an ACA-compliant plan this year say it was very or somewhat easy to renew, including three-quarters of those with Marketplace plans (77 percent). About half (52 percent) say they were automatically re-enrolled, while 46 percent say they took action to renew their plan. About seven in ten (69 percent) of those who renewed an ACA-compliant plan say they did not shop around before renewing. The most common reason for not shopping was that they were satisfied with their current plan (35 percent). Most (59 percent) of those who did shop for a plan this year (including those who purchased a new plan and those who shopped around but decided to renew a previous plan) say they had about the right number of plans to choose from.

A large majority of those in ACA-compliant plans, including three quarters (74 percent) of those with Marketplace coverage, rate their overall health insurance coverage as excellent or good. More than half also say their plan is an excellent or good value for what they pay for it. Similar to findings from the 2014 survey, most people with ACA-compliant plans say they are satisfied with various elements of their plans, including their choice of providers, copays, premiums, and deductibles. Among those with Marketplace coverage, at least seven in ten say they are “very” or “somewhat” satisfied with their plan’s choice of primary care providers (75 percent) and hospitals (75 percent), as well as their copays for doctor’s visits (73 percent) and prescriptions (70 percent). About two-thirds (64 percent) say they are satisfied with their choice of specialists

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The best study done so far shows people with Obamacare plans like their plans: bit.ly/1Hwv3eF

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Ezra Klein (@ezraklein) May 21, 2015

ObamaCare: Saving Lives And Keeping People Happy

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Sarah Kliff: Obamacare Creates Choice. That’s Why People Like It

Obamacare enrollees are more satisfied with their health insurance plans than those who get coverage outside the health law’s marketplaces, a new survey finds. J.D. Power and Associates on Thursday published a consumer satisfaction survey that looked at both people getting coverage through Obamacare and those who get coverage elsewhere, typically through their employer. They used a 1,000-point scale to measure how much people liked their coverage.

People who had coverage through Obamacare had an average satisfaction score of 696 in 2014, thinking back to their last year of coverage. During that same year, people in mostly employer-based plans had a satisfaction rating of 679 — 17 points lower. The J.D. Power survey suggests that there’s another variable enrollees think a lot about: choice. And this might actually circle back to the cost issue. People shopping on Obamacare have the option to decide whether they want a plan with a high premium or a low one.

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Thanks to health care reform, people have more options—just another reason Americans are #BetterWithObamacare: ofa.bo/r4wQ

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Barack Obama (@BarackObama) April 27, 2015

Obamacare shoppers more satisfied with insurance than those with employer policies -- via @sarahkliff vox.com/2015/4/24/8485…

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Jonathan Cohn (@CitizenCohn) April 24, 2015

The Power Of ObamaCare: Millions Happy With Their Health Coverage

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Steve Benen: ACA Scores Big On Customer Satisfaction

When the Affordable Care Act’s Republican critics were making all kinds of dire predictions about the inevitable “failures” of “Obamacare,” one of the charges was that American consumers will end up hating the coverage they receive through the reform law. And for those ACA detractors looking for something, anything, to bolster their contempt for the law, I’m afraid I have more bad news: Americans who received coverage through Obamacare tend to be quite pleased with the results.

Obamacare customers nationally also tended to be more satisfied with their plans bought in 2014 than people who primarily have traditional job-based health coverage – the majority of those with insurance – the study by the J.D. Power market research company found. Politico reported back in November: “A majority of Americans give good reviews for insurance they recently acquired through government exchanges within the past year, a new poll shows. With the second round of Obamacare enrollment set to begin on Saturday, 71 percent said their coverage through the exchanges was good or excellent, according to a Gallup poll released Friday.

More here

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Did I tell y'all my eye surgery only cost me $35? That's what having health insurance means. So fuck all y'all conservatives!

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Laffn@u (@KimShoeCrzy) March 31, 2015

ACA scores big on customer satisfaction: on.msnbc.com/1HAfPUi (Getty) http://t.co/1yGVMP2Skb

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  (@msnbc) April 25, 2015

A Tweet Or Two

White House Proposes Broad Consumer Data Privacy Bill nyti.ms/1C6Zwx7

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The New York Times (@nytimes) February 28, 2015

LOVE This!!! => Obama's post-presidential slogan: 'Eight years is only the beginning': chicago.suntimes.com/politics/7/71/…

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Nancy LeTourneau (@Smartypants60) February 02, 2015

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Hungry slaves were put in iron masks to keep from eating cane during the harvest #BlackHistoryYouDidntLearnInSchool http://t.co/GrXEN3mulQ

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BΛD HΛBITS. (@BlvckNostalgia) February 07, 2015

Five you should know: AA Freedom Fighters - bit.ly/1BJkHWG #nmaahcheroes http://t.co/F0UjCM6uuT

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Smithsonian NMAAHC (@NMAAHC) February 28, 2015

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NYT ad is reprehensible & wrong. @SusanRice has tirelessly fought for human rights & for the state of Israel. I thank her for her service.

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Steny Hoyer (@WhipHoyer) March 01, 2015

Ad in NYT is vile and contemptible and has no place in legitimate discourse. Susan Rice is owed an apology.

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Nita Lowey (@NitaLowey) March 01, 2015

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Ad in today's NYT slandering Susan Rice is wrong on the facts -- she's a fierce defender of human rights and Israel's security.

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Rep. Keith Ellison (@keithellison) February 28, 2015

Susan Rice has been and remains a great defender of human rights globally. I strongly reject tasteless ad in NYT impugning her service.

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John Conyers (@repjohnconyers) February 28, 2015

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US Jewish groups voiced outrage at NYT ad calling Susan Rice “blind” to genocide,saying statement was revolting... timesofisrael.com/jewish-groups-…

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Danielle (@Dani4Peace) March 01, 2015

This NYT ad, accusing Susan Rice of blindness to genocide, is disgraceful. MT @BarakRavid: http://t.co/q6gHWlOgbq

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Roland Paris (@rolandparis) March 01, 2015

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Susan Rice dared criticize Bibi & got Schmuley Boteach (Dermer affiliated, Adelson funded) to run an ad against her http://t.co/scdZAjaPfv

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Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) February 28, 2015

Black woman has to work an additional seven months to match the salary her white male counterpart earns in a work year #BlackWomenLead

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HigherHeights (@HigherHeights4) March 01, 2015

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US marine who remembers #IwoJima invasion, 70 years ago bbc.in/1AJTuAM http://t.co/xQeOFzF8bB

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BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) March 01, 2015

Iran authorities say they're ready to let in Google, other Internet firms yhoo.it/18ddKza

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Yahoo News (@YahooNews) March 01, 2015

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Full list of US delegation traveling to Montreux, Switzerland on March 2nd for Iran nuke talks. Moniz joins again http://t.co/kj11CTLfKW

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Arash Azizzada آرش (@87films) February 28, 2015

Iran nuclear talks advancing, no deal likely next week: U.S. official reuters.com/article/idUSKB…

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Kelsey Davenport (@KelseyDav) February 28, 2015

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A Free And Open Internet. Thanks, President Obama

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White House: Net Neutrality: President Obama’s Plan For A Free And Open Internet

An open Internet is essential to the American economy, and increasingly to our very way of life. By lowering the cost of launching a new idea, igniting new political movements, and bringing communities closer together, it has been one of the most significant democratizing influences the world has ever known. “Net neutrality” has been built into the fabric of the Internet since its creation — but it is also a principle that we cannot take for granted. We cannot allow Internet service providers (ISPs) to restrict the best access or to pick winners and losers in the online marketplace for services and ideas. That is why today, I am asking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to answer the call of almost 4 million public comments, and implement the strongest possible rules to protect net neutrality.

I'm urging the @FCC to keep the internet open and free. Here's my plan to protect #NetNeutrality for everyone: go.wh.gov/net-neutrality –bo

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The White House (@WhiteHouse) November 10, 2014

No blocking. If a consumer requests access to a website or service, and the content is legal, your ISP should not be permitted to block it. That way, every player — not just those commercially affiliated with an ISP — gets a fair shot at your business. No throttling. Nor should ISPs be able to intentionally slow down some content or speed up others — through a process often called “throttling” — based on the type of service or your ISP’s preferences. Increased transparency. The connection between consumers and ISPs — the so-called “last mile” — is not the only place some sites might get special treatment. So, I am also asking the FCC to make full use of the transparency authorities the court recently upheld, and if necessary to apply net neutrality rules to points of interconnection between the ISP and the rest of the Internet. No paid prioritization. Simply put: No service should be stuck in a “slow lane” because it does not pay a fee. That kind of gatekeeping would undermine the level playing field essential to the Internet’s growth. So, as I have before, I am asking for an explicit ban on paid prioritization and any other restriction that has a similar effect.

More here

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Adam Clark Estes: Obama’s Plan To Save The Internet

Good news, America. Our president, Barack Obama, is finally standing up for the internet, and asking the FCC to classify it as a public utility. In other words, he’s asking the agency not to allow destructive things like fast lanes (a.k.a. paid prioritization) or throttling. It’s a great day! At least, today’s news is a great step in the right direction. So Obama’s asked the FCC to reclassify the internet as a public utility, like electricity or water. This means a lot of things. Suffice it to say that the internet gets a better square on the Monopoly board. Instead of just being a regular piece of real estate that can be bought or sold or modified or destroyed, the internet would enjoy a number of regulatory protections if it were classified under Title II of the Telecommunications Act. The White House points out in a blog post about Obama’s statement that the reclassification would represent a “basic acknowledgement of the services ISPs provide to American homes and businesses, and the straightforward obligations necessary to ensure the network works for everyone—not just one or two companies.” That sounds about right. The internet was designed to be a free and open tool for communications.

About an hour after the White House released the statement, Tim Wu tweeted:

BIG NEWS (for Net Neutrality) -- President Obama demands bright-line rules, endorses Title II reclassification whitehouse.gov/net-neutrality

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Tim Wu (@superwuster) November 10, 2014

Tim Wu is the Columbia Law School professor who invented the term “net neutrality.” So if he likes Obama’s policy, today is a terrific day for the internet. And it actually sounds like he loves the policy. Keep this in mind when you wonder if it’ll work. Will the FCC actually write new rules that conform to the president’s wishes? We don’t know. We can’t know until they do or they don’t! Think of it this way, though. The FCC is not the American people’s favorite agency right now. More than one individual commissioner has even admitted that the existing rules are bad. Meanwhile, the experts who understand how the internet works better than the FCC does say that Obama’s plan is “100% on target.” It’s the FCC’s job to listen to experts and do what’s best for the American people. Now would be a good time for the FCC to do its job.

More here

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An open and free Internet is for everyone. President @BarackObama, thanks for supporting Net Neutrality etsy.me/1tyJOkj

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  (@Etsy) November 10, 2014

I applaud President Obama’s leadership on #NetNeutrality. We must ensure fair & equal access to the Internet! goo.gl/ynOCJ2

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Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) November 10, 2014

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This is huge! President @BarackObama is sticking up for a free and open Internet: whitehouse.gov/net-neutrality #NetNeutrality

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Kickstarter (@kickstarter) November 10, 2014

Kudos to @WhiteHouse for continued support of #NetNeutrality. Constituents overwhelmingly say NO #InternetFastlanes http://t.co/6wokIYqzqk

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Senator Ben Cardin (@SenatorCardin) November 10, 2014

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@WhiteHouse Thank you for this. @FCC Do it.

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  (@fd2190) November 10, 2014

@WhiteHouse @FCC keep fighting Mr. President

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LLS (@powwowasu) November 10, 2014

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Jobs? ✔ Economy Growing? ✔ Thank You, President Obama

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Loraine Woellert: Factory Production Rebounds As U.S. Sustains Expansion

Production at American factories rebounded, claims for jobless benefits fell to a 14-year low and households held the most optimistic views in two years, signs the world’s largest economy is overcoming a global slowdown. Manufacturing output climbed 0.5 percent in September, springing back from a 0.5 percent drop the prior month, as factories pushed out more computers, appliances and building-supplies, according to Federal Reserve data issued today in Washington. Other reports showed the momentum is being sustained as the fewest workers since April 2000 filed applications for unemployment insurance last week and more consumers said this month that the economy will get better.

The reports bolster forecasts that the U.S. expansion will survive the weakening in Europe and emerging nations that has roiled global financial markets. American consumer spending, which accounts for almost 70 percent of the economy, is likely to strengthen as employment keeps growing and confidence climbs. Ford Motor Co. is among those automakers that remain upbeat. The second-biggest U.S. carmaker is adding workers at its Dearborn, Michigan, plant as it prepares for its new aluminum-bodied F-150 pickup. The truck is scheduled to arrive in showrooms by the end of the year. “These new jobs will help meet anticipated customer demand,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford’s president of the Americas, during an Oct. 13 announcement. The company has hired more than 23,000 employees since 2011.

More here

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Industrial output in the U.S. increases by the most since November 2012: bloom.bg/11tnhj2

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Bloomberg News (@BloombergNews) October 16, 2014

The President’s Day

President Barack Obama smiles after signing an executive order to improve security measures for government credit and debit cards during an event at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

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President Barack Obama signs an executive order to strengthen credit card security after explaining his administration’s plan on safeguarding American consumers and their financial security

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"You should be able to buy the things you need without risking your identity, your credit score, or your savings." —Obama on "Buy Secure"

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The White House (@WhiteHouse) October 17, 2014

"We believe that this is a country where hard work should pay off, and responsibility should be rewarded." —President Obama at the @CFPB

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The White House (@WhiteHouse) October 17, 2014

"We know this technology works—when Britain switched to a chip-and-pin system, they cut fraud in stores by 70%." —President Obama

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The White House (@WhiteHouse) October 17, 2014

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President Barack Obama shakes hands with the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Richard Cordray