Young Americans to ObamaCare: not interested.

• Author: Emord, Jonathan W.
• Position: U.S. Health Care

THE John F. Kennedy School of Government's Institute of Politics at Harvard University released a national survey of young Americans' opinions of the Obama Administration and, in particular, of ObamaCare--the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Both deserve a failing grade, according to a majority of those surveyed. Indeed, the President has failed as a pitchman to convince most young, healthy Americans--whom he desperately needs to sign up--that ObamaCare is in their best interests.

The Institute of Politics interviewed 2,089 citizens aged 18 to 29: 56% of those 18 to 24 disapproved of the President's job performance;

53% of those 25 to 29 disapproved; and 47% maintain they would recall Pres. Barack Obama if that were possible.

The President's overall approval rating has dropped 11 percentage points among college students to 39%. More over, 14% of those surveyed believe the country is headed in the right direction, while 49% think it is headed in the wrong direction.

Some 57% of those aged 18 to 29 say that they disapprove of ObamaCare, and less than one-in-four under age 30 say that they definitely or probably would enroll in ObamaCare insurance through the exchanges. Forty-seven percent say will probably not enroll or definitely will not enroll.

Perhaps most striking of all, among the 22% of people under 30 who do not have health insurance right now, fully two-thirds say that they are not likely to sign up for ObamaCare.

The young Americans surveyed also think PPACA will harm the nation. By a margin of two-to-one, those surveyed under age 30 think the quality of health care will worsen under ObamaCare, and 51% say they expect their health care costs will increase.

PPACA is attractive to those who have been uninsured in the past and who suffer from chronic or acute and costly disease. Over time, it is likely that those individuals will sign up for the program, but the program will require ever greater Federal involvement and financing unless young people who are healthy sign up in droves. That is not likely to happen because young people appreciate that they can save the money required for monthly premiums while healthy without suffering a denial of insurance later when they become ill. ObamaCare forbids denial of insurance based on pre-existing conditions, inviting young people to game the system and save thousands of dollars annually (even it they must pay a tax for not signing up).

So long as at least one house of Congress...