Americans About Evenly Split on Public Option

2 years ago

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While a Washington Post/ABC News poll earlier this week said that support had rebounded for the so-called "public option" as part of health care reform, a Gallup poll conducted Oct. 16-19 says Americans are "about evenly split" with 50 percent supporting it, 46 percent against and 4 percent undecided. The margin of error is 3 points.

The Post/ABC survey had support for the public option at 57 percent with 40 percent opposed. That compared to the 52 percent to 46 percent margin of support in its poll taken in August when health care reform proposals were taking a drubbing from critics.

Gallup asked the question this way: "If Congress passes a health care bill, do you think it should or should not include a public, government-run insurance plan to compete with plans offered by private insurance companies?"

This was the Post/ABC question: "Would you support or oppose having the government create a new health insurance plan to compete with private health insurance plans?"

As for overall support of a health care reform bill, 39 percent say it depends on what the final details are, 33 percent will oppose it and 25 percent would support it.

Filed Under: Health Care, Polls, Poll Watch

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