A new poll from Morning Consult/Politico says the American Health Care Act is gaining in unpopularity. The survey, conducted June 15-19 among 2,051 registered voters, also looks into gun control laws, the debt ceiling, Russia sanctions, net neutrality, and more. Thirty-five percent of voters approve of AHCA, while 50 percent disapprove. This is the lowest mark since Morning Consult/Politico began tracking.
- This is how Morning Consult/Politico says that split has changed since the bill’s introduction:
- April 30th: 42% approve, 37% disapprove
- May 6th: 38% approve, 44% disapprove
- May 14th: 38% approve, 45% disapprove
- May 30th: 38% approve, 47% disapprove
- In the April 30th poll, 16% of Republicans disapproved. In the latest poll 30% disapprove.
- During that same time period, independents jumped from 36% disapprove to 53%.
Don’t Miss Early Bird Registration for CAHU September Retreat
CAHU’s Health Care Retreat, the industry’s largest conference for health insurance agents, will be September 11-13 at Pala Casino Spa Resort in Sacramento. The conference includes fantastic break out tracks, important updates on current federal and local legislative issues as well as CAHU’s annual awards ceremony. Visit CAHU‘s website for info and discounted early bird registration.
Middle Class a State of Mind
Findings from Northwestern Mutual’s 2017 Planning & Progress Study conclude that seven in 10 Americans aged 18+ consider themselves part of the middle class. According to government data by the Pew Research Center, however, the true number of middle class Americans includes only 50 percent of the population, down from 61 percent in 1971.
Researchers say the key to the discrepancy is in how Americans perceive what it means to be part of the middle class. According to the Northwestern Mutual study:
- 84% of American adults say that one defining element of the middle class is based on income or assets. More than half of those who identified as middle class in the study have household incomes ranging from $50,000 to $125,000 annually.
- 70% of Americans say that lifestyle and perspective are also defining elements of the middle class.
“This research clearly shows that those who consider themselves part of the middle class in America see beyond just income levels and identify with something greater,” said Rebekah Barsch, vice president of planning, Northwestern Mutual. “When you dig into the attitudes and behaviors of the middle class, you find it’s an optimistic group with a strong sense of financial responsibility.”
Harris Poll Names Guardian Life Insurance of the Year
The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America has been recognized as Brand of the Year in the Life Insurance category, according to The Harris Poll® EquiTrend Study, which reveals the strongest brands across industries based on consumer response.
New Study Asks Why People Don’t Buy Life Insurance
A recent survey from insuranceQuotes.com finds that 37 percent of adults do not have life insurance. Cost was the most commonly cited reason for not purchasing a policy (59 percent). But data also revealed that respondents still wouldn’t do so, even if money weren’t an issue.
The study found that most non-policy holders:
- Largely belong to the millennial generation: 65% in the 18-29 age bracket do not have life insurance policies compared with 29% in the 30-49 age bracket and 26% in the 50-64 bracket
- Are single: 23% of those with life insurance policies are single, while 75% are married
- Have less formal education: Only 26% of those without policies are college graduates
- Make less money: Of households with an annual income of $75,000 or more, 78% have life insurance policies; of those with an income $50,000 to $75,000, 74% have life insurance policies
Those who don’t have a policy say they’d spend extra income on the following before buying affordable life insurance: purchase food/utilities (76%); put money in savings (71%); pay down debt such as car loan or student loan (67%); donate to a charity (49%). The full report—which includes additional data, tips and insights—is available here.
