Obama's biggest mistake in pushing health care law (cont'd)

As we suggested on Wednesday, names do make a difference. From CNBC poll:

--Percentage of respondents who have a somewhat negative or very negative view of Obamacare: 46 percent.

--Percentage of respondents who have a somewhat negative or very negative view of the Affordable Care Act: 37 percent.

Wonder what the numbers would have been if the program were called Americare? By the way, this branding question is not new. William Sage, vice provost for health affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, raised it three years ago:

Were the Affordable Care Act's programs to be rebranded, all eligible participants would sign up for an Americare plan with the specific source of coverage appended. One person might have an Americare - Blue Cross plan, while someone else would have Americare - Medicare. A common identity would convey the point that universal participation makes it possible to have universal insurance that does not discriminate against the sick. It would also remind insurers that they are no longer permitted to compete by avoiding risk and are now expected to compete by improving care. The name Americare would assert a collective interest in health system value and efficiency. It would build courage to do more than tinker at the margins with new payment methods, organizational structures, and professional skills. Most important, a shared identity would signal our decision to rein in special interests and begin a social conversation about redesigning health care delivery to produce the most cost-effective results.

Another missed opportunity in a presidency that's been filled with them.