White House changes course on the word ‘Obamacare’
The Edsel, New Coke …Obamacare.
Has the launch of the most far-reaching social program in a generation been so stunningly awful that it deserves a spot with these classic failures?
Earlier this week, President Barack Obama said the time has come to “remarket and rebrand” the healthcare law.
First things first, “Obamacare,” is out. The “Affordable Care Act,” is in.
In an hour-long speech last week, the president didn’t utter the word, “Obamacare,” once.
“Sure enough if you say ‘Obamacare,’ … you get the most negative reaction,” says Frank Newport, editor-in-chief at Gallup, the polling giant.
Newport says new research out this week reveals the difference in the reaction to the two labels.
Gallup found only 38 percent of Americans approve when they heard “Obamacare,” but approval jumped to 45 percent when saying “Affordable Care Act.”
Of course, the larger point is no matter what you call it, more than half of Americans still don’t like the new healthcare law.
“The North Star here for the Obama Administration on this issue is trust,” says public relations crisis consultant Chris Lehane.
Lehane – who worked in the Clinton White House and knows his share of controversy – says rebranding means re-establishing credibility.
“Every single comment that’s made, every single action that’s taken, almost every thought that’s being considered needs to be considered through the prism does this enhance our credibility or imperil our credibility,” he says.
Lehane says even if they are modest, the White House must string together a series of accomplishments to prove the administration can deliver.
And still, Republicans are trying to undermine the law – they’ve got a 17-page battle plan. plus the law is now under competition from insurers.
Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield has released three commercials in Iowa and South Dakota with the tag line, “things don’t always work like they are supposed to. Good thing the government exchange website isn’t the only place to buy health insurance.”
But however Obamacare/the Affordable Care Act ultimately gets remade, it’s got one big advantage over New Coke, people have to have insurance, it’s the law.
There’s a lot happening in the world. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you.
You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible.
Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.
