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Poll: Most Oppose GOP Plan to Dismantle Health Care Reform by Denying Funding
McConnell said a key weapon in picking the law apart would be to attack elements of it that require funding.
But a Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Health poll, conducted Jan. 4-14, says that Americans oppose the idea of using the appropriations process to cut off the funding needing to put health reform into place by a 62 percent to 33 percent margin, with 6 percent undecided.
That result comes despite the fact that the percentage of Americans who view the law unfavorably jumped from 41 percent in the previous poll to 50 percent while 41 percent have a positive view of it. Nine percent were undecided.A key factor in the contrast between these findings is the attitude of independents. While 47 percent of them want the law repealed outright or replaced with a Republican alternative, compared to 40 percent who would expand it or keep it as is, they reject using the power of the purse to whittle down the law by a 62 percent to 32 percent margin, with 6 percent undecided.
Republicans approve of the defunding strategy by 57 percent to 38 percent with 6 percent undecided, while Democrats oppose it 84 percent to 13 percent, with 3 percent undecided.
On the general question of "what next?" for health care reform, 47 percent of those surveyed favored expanding the law or keeping it as is, while 43 percent favored repeal of replacing it with a Republican alternative.
Americans have mixed views on the lawsuits being filed by state attorneys general challenging the law's legality, particularly the requirement that all Americans obtain health coverage. Thirty-two percent say those filing suit see the law as violating the Constitution while 32 percent believe it's a bid to score political points. Twenty-two percent say it's not about the law or politics, but the fact that lawmakers see health care reform as bad policy.
Reasons for the unfavorable view of the law include the belief that it entails too much government involvement (more than half of those surveyed take that view) while six in 10 Americans think it will increase the deficit.
But as polls by Kaiser and others have shown, the picture gets more complicated when the public is asked about individual provisions of the law.
When Kaiser asked about 12 provisions in the health care law, nine of them had the support of a majority of those surveyed.
For instance, 85 percent support the 50 percent discount on prescription drugs that will be given to beneficiaries who fall into the so-called Medicare "doughnut hole" when they have passed their drug coverage limit. Those beneficiaries would have been forced to pick up the whole cost of brand-name drugs until they reached the threshold for catastrophic coverage.
Another example is subsidies for low- and moderate-income Americans to buy insurance, which is supported by 79 percent.
The least-liked provision in the bill is the mandate that all individuals obtain health coverage, which is supported by only 23 percent.
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I would expect that if health care is defunded, those in WA should give up their insurance also. If it is not good enough for us , it is not good enough for them. I refuse to pay for them!
February 19 2011 at 1:53 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyThis is a clear indication that I have to get off my behind and go vote for some democrats. This health care bill saves money in the long run, we need to help these folks that dont have insurance to keep them out of the emergency rooms where it cost us much more to care for them.
February 19 2011 at 8:12 AM Report abuse Permalink -1 rate up rate down ReplyThe reason most people do not support the defunding of health care is because they want it TOTALLY REPEALED
February 19 2011 at 7:02 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI don't know who's answering these polls but I'm totally for the GOP health care cuts....I think it very unwise to spend money we don't have and mortgage the childrens future on something that I think is going to continue to cost more in the future...It's like pouring money down the drain...
February 19 2011 at 6:47 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyRepublicans say give tax cuts to the wealthy and big business & it will create jobs. Who are they kidding? I won't hire anyone unless he or she makes me a profit even if they lower my taxes to zero. They have things backwards. Give the bailout money to the little guy and he will buy my products and I will have to make more stuff and then I will have to hire more people to help me make more stuff and those more people I hire will have a job and pay income taxes to the government so the U.S.GOVERMENT can pay off what it owes out in loans.
February 19 2011 at 6:09 AM Report abuse Permalink +2 rate up rate down ReplyI'm sitting here looking at this page and noticed the other article, "Republican Health Care Repeal Would Add $230 Billion to Debt, CBO Says." ...I don't like the bill either, but as a matter of prudence, shouldn't an alternate be put on the table before removal. What is the alternative that would make healthcare more affordable? There is none because to many people, and money, is vested in the status quo. Does anyone believe that anyone here could receive an artificial heart when they are 80 years old? Someone is paying for that technology... and healthcare is rationed even now, believe it or not...
February 19 2011 at 6:08 AM Report abuse Permalink +4 rate up rate down ReplyRepublicans say give tax cuts to the wealthy and big business & it will create jobs. Who are they kidding? I won't hire anyone unless he or she makes me a profit even if they lower my taxes to zero. They have things backwards. Give the bailout money to the little guy and he will buy my products and I will have to make more stuff and then I will have to hire more people to help me make more stuff and those more people I hire will have a job and pay income taxes to the goverment so the GOVERMENT can pay off what it owes out in loans.
February 19 2011 at 5:25 AM Report abuse Permalink +2 rate up rate down ReplyPres.OBama, has pledged to help the medicare people; which I am a part of now;
recently lost my husband and am living in assisted living and barely eating!
FOR GOD'S SAKE; don't leave the elderly behind and Don't touch medicare!
REMEMBER, one day All of you will be elderly and even with your Congress
status, and I only wish and hope that you too have to live as we do!!
Widows benefits are pitiful and it is a chrime!
Betty McCarthy
AOL.COM
statis; I believe you should have to live as the rest of us do and experisnce fearing eating!!!!
What do you expect? Obama's healthcare law is an abomination. On it's own wieght it can not stand the peoples test. The problem is with that lying slug we have as apresident. He has signed and approved waiver after waiver for his political cronies (unions and others too numerous to mention)that now stand with him because as usual he has made another deal with the same crooks who got him elected.Stick your poll, it's about as truthful as the man who is pushing the plan.
February 19 2011 at 12:10 AM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down ReplyA completely BOGUS poll. The country spoke loud and clear on this and last November election results are the only poll that matters. Libs and the left wing media think that they can sway people by creating a desired outcome in a poll and trying to pass it off as public sentiment. This won't work anymore. The people have woken up.
February 19 2011 at 12:05 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
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