Poll Results: Individual Mandate

November 22, 2013, 2:47 PM GMT+0

These are the topline results of a YouGov/Huffington Post survey of 1000 US adults interviewed November 19-20, 2013 on the health insurance mandate. The results show most Americans oppose the individual mandate. The margin of error is 4.6%.

Click here to see full tables and demographic crossbreaks

Which of the following would you say best describes the new health care law?
It requires every American to buy insurance, with no exceptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43%
It requires most Americans to buy insurance, but with some exceptions . . . . . . . . . . . .38%
It doesn’t require anyone to buy insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4%
Not sure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15%

Based on what you’ve heard, when would you say the individual mandate to buy insurance is scheduled to go into effect?
It is already in effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22%
In the next few months . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31%
In the next year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27%
In the next two years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3%
It will be longer than two years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2%
Not sure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16%

Do you favor or oppose requiring most Americans to buy insurance, with some exceptions such as for income or other hardships?
Strongly favor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18%
Somewhat favor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17%
Somewhat oppose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13%
Strongly oppose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34%
Not sure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17%

The new health care law requires most Americans to be covered by insurance or pay a penalty. Based on what you’ve heard, how will you personally be affected by the health care law’s insurance mandate?
I will not personally be affected - I would have insurance either way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57%
I will be forced to buy insurance I would not have bought by the new law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12%
I will go without insurance and pay a penalty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7%
I will receive an exemption and go without insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2%
Not sure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23%

Which of the following describe your feelings about the mandate in the new health care law that most Americans have insurance? (Select all that apply)
Confused . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24%
Angry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37%
Enthusiastic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21%
None of these . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25%