In Poorest States, Political Stigma Is Depressing Participation in Health Law

New York Times ^ | April 26, 2014 | By JACKIE CALMES

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Inside the sleek hillside headquarters of Valley Health Systems, built with a grant from the health care law, two employees played an advertisement they had helped produce to promote the law’s insurance coverage for young, working-class West Virginians.

Health professionals, state officials, social workers, insurance agents and others trying to make the law work for uninsured Americans say the partisan divisions and attack ads have depressed participation in some places. They say the law has been stigmatized for many who could benefit from it, especially in conservative states like West Virginia that have the poorest, most medically underserved populations but where President Obama and his signature initiative are hugely unpopular.

Many of the uninsured were also deterred from participating by cultural factors: unfamiliarity with insurance, computer illiteracy, Appalachian isolation and, most of all, cost. But also at play was hostility to Mr. Obama.

“The president is definitely unpopular here,” said Jeremiah Samples, assistant to the secretary at the State Department of Health and Human Resources. “I would not discount it as a factor; I have heard folks discuss it.”

[ProtectOurFreedom]

The poor are “stigmatized” to be on any sort of a dole? Give me a break...the notion of shame in accepting public dole money went out of fashion 60 years ago. In fact, I haven’t heard of that concept in probably 40 years.

Today it’s become a badge of honor to see how much you can suck out of old Uncle Sugar.

[Vaduz]

most of all, **cost**

[sheana]

Well actually there is a good reason. They cost so much because you have to pay for the ones who get enough subsides that their policy costs $1-100 per month plus all the new Medicaid enrollees.