Most Oppose Health Care Plan Until They Hear the Specifics, Poll Says

While most voters disapprove of the health care reform legislation advocated by President Obama and Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill, six of eight key provisions in it draw support from 50 percent or more, according to a poll conducted Feb. 17-18 by Princeton Survey Research for Newsweek.

Forty-nine percent oppose the health care plan as they understand it while 40 percent support it, with 11 percent undecided. Independents oppose it by 62 percent to 26 percent, with 12 percent undecided.

When voters were asked again whether they supported or opposed the overall plan after giving their opinions on the specific components, 48 percent said they favored it and 43 percent remained against it, with 9 percent undecided.

The finding was similar to a Kaiser Family Foundation Tracking poll conducted in January which found that a significant number of people, including skeptics, became more supportive when told of specific provisions in the bill.

The poll comes just before this Thursday's White House health care summit called by President Obama to see if there was a plan that both parties could coalesce around.

Here are the results when voters were asked to turn thumbs up or down on specific proposals.

FAVOR

- Requiring all Americans to have health coverage with government subsidies to those who can't afford it: 59 percent favor, 36 percent oppose, 5 percent undecided.

- Requiring most businesses to offer health insurance to employees with tax breaks to help small business owners do it: 75 percent favor, 20 percent oppose, 5 percent undecided.

- Requiring health insurance companies to cover anyone who applies, even if they have a pre-existing condition: 76 percent favor, 19 percent oppose, 5 percent undecided.

- Creating a government-sponsored "public option" plan to compete with private insurers: 50 percent favor, 42 percent oppose, 8 percent undecided.

- Creating insurance "exchanges" where consumers can compare plans and buy insurance at competitive rates: 81 percent favor, 13 percent oppose, 6 percent undecided.

- Preventing insurance companies from dropping coverage for customers who are sick: 59 percent to 38 percent, with 3 percent undecided.

OPPOSE

- Imposing fines on individuals who don't obtain health coverage: 62 percent oppose, 28 percent favor, 10 percent undecided.

- Taxing insurers who offer expensive so-called "Cadillac plans" to help pay for health care reform: 55 percent oppose, 34 percent favor, 11 percent undecided.

Those polled voiced disapproval of all the parties in the health care debate. Fifty-two percent disapproved of Obama's handling of health care reform while 39 percent approved, with 9 percent undecided. Sixty-three percent disapproved of congressional Republicans while 21 percent approved, with 16 percent undecided. Sixty-one percent disapproved of congressional Democrats while 27 percent approved, with 12 percent undecided.