Mentioned in the article but I think the implementation problems - delays, broken websites, frustrations - with federal UI shaped how it was seen. Policy implementation is a key part of policy feedback.
https://twitter.com/mattyglesias/status/1343898714780397568
The importance of implementation is also key to the his point about Social Security expansion. Social Security was piecemeal in terms of eligibility initially but it was because it was well-run and popular that Congress supported later expansions. 
You can extend this point to the rollout of ACA. It was initially unpopular because of ideological attacks but also the system didn’t work. With time, problems were fixed, but the point is we probably underestimate how much user experience shapes views about new policies.
Again, implementation problems are acknowledged and a solution is even offered, which is federal provision. So I’m not disagreeing but rather suggesting that the burdens involved in claiming UI may have had a bigger effect in explaining why the program is not given more credit.
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