CNN poll: Half of Americans say Obamacare has helped their families or others

A CNN poll finds that more than half the public says the health law helped their families or others, but fewer than one in five say they have personally benefited. Meanwhile, election-year politics in Ohio may lead to the release of 2015 premiums on Oct. 1 and business and consumer groups seek to influence benefits.

CNN: Is Obamacare Working?
More than half the public says Obamacare has helped either their families or others across the country, although less than one in five Americans say they have personally benefited from the health care law, according to a new national poll. A CNN/ORC International survey also indicates that a majority of Americans oppose the Affordable Care Act, but that some of that opposition is from people who don't think the measure goes far enough (7/23).

The Star Tribune: Dayton Wants Health Insurers To Reveal 2015 Rates On Oct. 1
Election-year politics are shining a spotlight on health insurance rates, with Gov. Mark Dayton now asking the state's insurance plans to voluntarily agree to release them on Oct. 1. Republicans have pressed for release of the 2015 health insurance rates before the November election, even though there's no requirement that insurers do so until open enrollment starts on Nov. 15. Minnesota had the lowest insurance rates in the nation in the first year under the federal health law, but some Republicans suspect that rates will go up (Crosby, 7/22).

Kaiser Health News: Capsules: Business Groups, Consumer Advocates Draw Lines In The Sand About Essential Benefits
During a July 21 Capitol Hill briefing, members of the Affordable Health Benefits Coalition, a business interest group including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Retail Federation, said they would push to reshape essential benefits, arguing that current regulations have led to unaffordable hikes in insurance premiums (Luthra, 7/23).