HealthDay News — Results from a new survey conducted by the Harris Poll reveals that only 1 in 5 Americans support a repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
This Harris Poll was conducted online April 26 to 28 among 2184 adults aged 18 and older. Figures for age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, region, and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population.
According to the poll results, 21% of adults want to repeal and replace the health reform law, while two-thirds want the law kept in place and improved where needed, while 8% want the law kept as is, without changes. A majority of Republicans (53%) want to repeal the law. Meanwhile, most Democrats want to keep it as is (40%) or have some parts changed (44%), the poll found.
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About three-quarters of Democrats (74%) said they were pleased when the first GOP attempt to repeal the ACA failed in March. Fewer than half of Republicans — 46%– expressed disappointment that the first bill did not become law.
An 81% majority want the ACA’s requirement of health coverage for those with pre-existing conditions to remain in place, with only 9% in favor of repealing those protections.
The poll also found substantial support for other ACA provisions, such as government subsidies to make health care affordable for low-income people (66% want to keep versus 18% for repeal); the mandate requiring businesses with more than 50 employees to provide a health plan or pay a penalty (61 versus 24%); the provision allowing children to remain on their parents’ health insurance until age 26 (72 versus 17%); and Medicaid expansion (54 versus 23%).
The “individual mandate,” which requires all adults to have health insurance or face a penalty, remains unpopular.
Reference
“Americans Uneasy With Push to Repeal Obamacare.” The Harris Poll. Updated May 4, 2017. Available at: http://www.theharrispoll.com/politics/Affordable-Care-Act-Repeal.html. Accessed may 5, 2017.
