Americans Split on Health Care Reform As Doubts on Impact Linger

As Congress moves closer to final decisions on health care, Americans are almost evenly divided about the changes it is considering with 49 percent opposing them compared to 48 percent in favor, according to a Washington Post/ABC News poll conducted Nov. 12-15. Last month, 48 percent opposed the proposals and 45 percent favored them.There does not appear to be a lot of strong belief that a health care overhaul will improve the situation for most Americans.

Forty-two percent believe that the quality of their health care will remain the same if changes are passed into law, 37 percent say it will get worse and 19 percent believe it will get better. When those polled were asked how reform would affect health care for other people, 38 percent said it would get worse, 26 percent said it would be the same and 34 percent said it would be better.

Of the 84 percent who are insured, 46 percent believe their health insurance coverage will remain about the same, 39 percent say it will get worse and 13 percent say it will get better. Among those who are uninsured, 47 percent say their ability to get insurance will get better, 35 percent say it will be about the same and 17 percent believe it will get worse.

Fifty-two percent of all those polled expect health care costs to increase if the system is changed, 35 percent predict they will remain the same and 11 percent believe they will decrease.

The so-called "public option" - to create a government-backed entity to compete with private insurers - is backed by 53 percent and opposed by 43 percent.

On the political implications of the reform legislation, 45 percent said that a congressional candidate's support for the health care legislation would make no difference in the way they voted, 29 percent said they would be more likely to oppose the candidate while 25 percent would be more likely to support him or her.

Those surveyed trust President Obama more than congressional Republicans to handle health care by 52 percent to 37 percent with 8 percent saying neither.

The poll zeroes in on one question that many others have not - how well do the people whose opinions are being asked understand the massive bills before the House and Senate?

Fifty-five percent say they have a good basic understanding of them while 44 percent say the issue is too complicated.