Americans are divided on whether or not the 2010 health care reform legislation should be repealed. In this week’s Economist/YouGov Poll, 41% would repeal the law, 35% would not.
There has been little change on this question in the last year — and the partisan gulf still remains. A majority of Republicans and nearly half of independents would repeal the law, but about a quarter of Republicans and a third of independents would not. 76% of Tea Party identifiers support repeal. Democrats oppose repeal 46% to 26%.
But despite the split opinion on the law overall, Americans mostly like the bill’s specific proposals — all but one of them. The individual mandate, which requires Americans to have health insurance coverage or pay a fine, has been the subject of several court challenges and its constitutionality is likely to be determined by the Supreme Court. Americans have made up their minds about it: they oppose it by more than two to one, just as they did last September.
Republicans oppose the mandate by seven to one, 75% to 10%. Democrat support for the mandate is far from counterbalancing heavy Republican opposition: 41% of Democrats favor the individual mandate, 33% oppose it.
But other provisions get strong support:
• 58% would prevent insurance companies from charging more for people in poor health
• 59% would prevent lifetime limits on insurance payments
• 60% want a minimum benefit package
• 71% want insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions Republicans also favor these provisions, though by much smaller margins.
However, Republicans differ from the rest of the public on three other provisions:
• Overall, the public supports an employer mandate to make health insurance coverage available to workers 43% to 30%, Republicans oppose it 53% to 24%.
• There is national support (48% in favor, 26% opposed) for the requirement that insurance plans cover adult children up to the age of 26; Republicans oppose this 46% to 31%.
• The public overall would provide a subsidy to help some Americans buy insurance; Republicans would not.
Economist/YouGov poll archives can found here.
Photo source: Press Association
