Healthcare reform faces low participation in high-risk pools

[Geee]

The Hill:

Healthcare reform faces low participation in high-risk pools
By Julian Pecquet - 09/12/10 02:07 PM ET

Democrats' healthcare reform law, already challenged by Republicans who want to repeal it and state officials who want to ignore it, faces yet another challenge from a disengaged public.

States across the country are reporting lower than expected participation in the high-risk pools for people with pre-existing conditions, raising concerns that a lack of public engagement could affect the program's success — and that of health reform more generally.

Some observers blame high healthcare costs and the angry political rhetoric ahead of the midterm elections for obscuring the law's benefits.

"What the press seems to cover is all the negative arguments going on about healthcare reform, and I think people are put off by that and don't take advantage of this opportunity that's available because they don't know what's at stake," said Jean Hall, an associate research professor at the University of Kansas.

[Evad]

There we go with that "unexpected" again