Poll: Opposition to Health Care Reform Eases

As lawmakers shaken by the shooting of a colleague return to the health care debate, an Associated Press-GfK poll finds raw feelings over President Barack Obama's overhaul have subsided.

Ahead of a vote on repeal in the GOP-led House this week, strong opposition to the law stands at 30 percent, close to the lowest level registered in AP-GfK surveys dating to September 2009.

The nation is divided over the law, but the strength and intensity of the opposition appear diminished. The law expands coverage to more than 30 million uninsured, and would require, for the first time, that most people in the United States carry health insurance.

The poll finds that 40 percent of those surveyed said they support the law, while 41 percent oppose it. Just after the November congressional elections, opposition stood at 47 percent and support was 38 percent.

As for repeal, only about one in four say they want to do away with the law completely. Among Republicans support for repeal has dropped sharply, from 61 percent after the elections to 49 percent now.

House to Consider Health Care Repeal Next Week

Also, 43 percent say they want the law changed so it does more to re-engineer the health care system. Fewer than one in five say it should be left as it is.

"Overall, it didn't go as far as I would have liked," said Joshua Smith, 46, a sales consultant to manufacturers who lives in Herndon, Va. "In a perfect world, I'd like to see them change it to make it more encompassing, but judging by how hard it was to get it passed, they had to take whatever they could get."

His extended family has benefited from the law. A sister-in-law in her early 20s, previously uninsured, was able to get on her father's policy. "She's starting out as a real estate agent, and there's no health care for that," said Smith. The law allows young adults to stay on a parent's plan until they turn 26.

Congress stepped back last week to honor victims of the rampage in Tucson, Ariz., that left Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., facing a long and uncertain recovery from a bullet through her brain.

There's no evidence the gunman who targeted Giffords was motivated by politics, but the aftermath left many people concerned about the venom in public life. A conservative Democrat, Giffords had been harshly criticized for voting in favor of the health overhaul, and won re-election by a narrow margin.

House Republican leaders say they're working to keep this week's debate - and expected vote Wednesday - from degenerating into a shouting match, but it depends on the Democrats, too. Republicans want a thoughtful discussion about substantive policy differences, said Brad Dayspring, a spokesman for Rep. Eric Cantor, the No. 2 GOP leader. The AP-GfK poll was under way when the attack in Tucson took place Jan. 8.

GOP Doesn't Account for Health Care Repeal Cost

Opposition to the law remains strongest among Republicans. Seventy-one percent of them say they're against it, as compared with 35 percent of independents and 19 percent of Democrats. Republicans won back control of the House partly on a promise to repeal what they dismissively term as "Obamacare."

"I just think that the liberal left is more going for socialized medicine, and I don't think that works well," said Earl Ray Fye, 66, a farmer from Pennsylvania Furnace, Pa., and a conservative Republican. "It just costs too much. This country better get concerned about getting more conservative."

One of the major Republican criticisms of the law found wide acceptance in the poll, suggesting a vulnerability that GOP politicians can continue to press.

Nearly six in 10 oppose the law's requirement that people carry health insurance except in cases of financial hardship. Starting in 2014, people will have to show that they're covered either through an employer, a government program, or under their own plan.

Rich Johnson, 34, an unemployed laborer from Caledonia, Wis., said he thinks the heart of the law is good. "The problem I have with it is mandating insurance so that you have to have it or you'll get fines," said Johnson, an independent. "I just don't think people should be forced to have it. The rest of it, I have no problem with."

The individual mandate started out as a Republican idea during an earlier health care debate in the 1990s. More recently, Massachusetts enacted such a requirement under GOP Gov. Mitt Romney and the Democratic Legislature. Nowadays, most conservatives are against it, and GOP state attorneys general are suing to have the mandate overturned as unconstitutional.

Other major provisions of the law, including a requirement that insurers accept people with pre-existing medical conditions, got support from half or more of the public in the poll.

Loralyn Conover, 42 a former music teacher with multiple sclerosis, says she hopes repeal goes nowhere. Senate Democrats say they'll block it.

The new law "opens the door for people like me to have some kind of pay-as-you-go health insurance," said Conover, of Albuquerque, N.M. "It's nice to be able to have something . and not be dropped in the cracks of society." She couldn't get health insurance when she was first diagnosed, but is now covered by Medicare.

The AP-GfK Poll was conducted Jan. 5-10 by GfK Roper Public Affairs and Corporate Communications. It involved landline and cell phone interviews with 1,001 adults nationwide, and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4.2 percentage

[crazyname]

dwindling support hell, the healthcare bill is a jobs killer, and a small business killer and many farmers will hang up their plows because they cannot afford a 8% + hit to their bottom line.
If they want to reform healthcare, the government was not the answer. Get rid of the waste, corruption, the lawyers attacking doctors for greed. the government is the last group that should get involved to reform anything. Ther are out of control and look as it as a power grab, and a money grab. The government is so overextended, they need all the money they can to sustain these boondoggles they have passed in the name of helping the poor and helpless. The government is the ones makeing them poor and helpless, all for assuring themselves of votes in the elections.

[grooves]

Tort reform will do almost zero...it saves a tiny amount. You're barking up the wrong tree. HCR is not a job killer...that's just spouting idiotic GOP talking points. Go ahead a blame government not the insurance companies... you are a cliche...and an ignorant one at that...

[levelheadedtoo]

Polls show the sky has not fallen. Here is a novel idea Mr Speaker, use the pulpit and tell the American people exactly what you are going to do to improve the Health Care Bill before you vote on changing what's there now. I think we are grown up enough to understand when we are looking at a shell game.

[pasha128]

The new Republican alternative allow UNLIMITED insurance company profits and no guarantees that premiums are actually used to provide health care to policy holders. It returns us to the days that your coverage can be CANCELED WHEN YOU GET SICK. It ends extended coverage for children, it ends the cost saving measures dealing with preventative care, it starts DEFICIT REDUCTION for Medicare Prescription Drugs (Part D) (over a TRILLION DOLLARS every 10 years passed by the REPUBLICAN CONGRESS and signed into law by a REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT in 2003.

[pasha128]

Correction -- it ends DEMOCRATIC DEFICIT REDUCTION for Medicare Prescription Drugs (Part D) (over a TRILLION DOLLARS every 10 years) passed by the REPUBLICAN CONGRESS and signed into law by a REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT in 2003.

[obwan222]

"It is a horrible law, crafted behind closed doors..."

the bill was debated on the floor of Congress and in the newspapers and on TV for months, for heaven's sake. It hardly came as a surprise.

"I am not sure how many people have tried to read this 2700 page load of crap, but it is filled with distortions and nonsense."

Then can I assume that you have read it? ... or are you relying on the word of others who claim to have read it? Because in Congress, NO Congressperson reads any bill from front to back. They have a staff and they divide up the bill among a bunch of bright interns who dissect it and tell the Congressperson the only thing they really want to know - what's in it for me?

"...it will bankrupt the US..."

In truth, "CBO... estimated that enacting the Senate-passed measure (H.R. 3590) and the reconciliation package would reduce the deficit by $143 billion through 2019" - 03/21/10

[RobAla]

President Obama brought union leaders in behind closed doors, and gave union members a different deal than the rest of the nation. The bill was not thoroughly debated, as a vote was rushed before representatives could really even read the 2700 page bill. I have not read the entire bill, but I have read parts of it. I read sections that state that certain taxes will not be called "taxes". It does contain nonsense. It was crafted to misrepresent the true cost of the law. In the first 10 years, only the last 6 will contain the massive tax increases. This was done to falsely misrepresent the true cost of the law over the first 10 years.

It will bankrupt the US. We currently have a $14 trillion national debt, causing 20% of our budge to go to paying only the interest on that debt. We are on the verge of economic collapse due to spending $trillions more than we have. May 2010 CBO figures stated that it will cost Americans an additional $1 trillion in new federal spending over the first 10 years. Think about it. There is no way to create a massive new entitlement, resulting in 1,000 more people to oversee it, provide additional coverage, and do away with pre-existing illnesses - and it not cost a lot more money. CBO results are based on what figures are presented to them, by the politician giving the data to crunch.

Remember what Nancy Pelosi said when representatives wanted more time to read the bill. "We have to pass the bill so that we can know what is in it". We can do better. This is a very bad bill. Why do you think 22 states are suing the federal government over this thing? When was the last time you saw this many states suing the federal government? Just think about it. I wish you well.

[34sender]

RobAla ... same lies, different day.

I'll just address the last piece of baloney you posted.

Nancy Pelosi was referring to THE AMERICAN PEOPLE when she used the term "we" in her statement about understanding the Affordable Care Act after passage "when the fog of misinformation clears".

It seems she was correct.

You have been told that you are wrong on this quote (among many others) over and over -- your insistence in continuing to post lies is only telling of your total lack of character and adherence to truth in debate.

[RobAla]

It is a horrible law, crafted behind closed doors (not openly as promised on CSPAN), and was passed against the wishes of the majority of Americans. I am not sure how many people have tried to read this 2700 page load of crap, but it is filled with distortions and nonsense.

If left in place, it will cause the majority of Americans to have increased cost in health care premiums, it will bankrupt the US in attempts to fund this huge new entitlement program, and it;s unfunded mandates of increased Medicaid coverage will bankrupt the states. That is why 22 states are suing the federal government over this really bad law. Business owners are holding back from employing more people because of the additional cost per employee this law imposes on business. This is a very bad law.

It has become law without those voting for it even reading the bill prior to passage. "We have to pass the bill so that we can know what is in it" - Nancy Pelosi.

Americans we asking Washington to bring down the cost of health care, and Washington used this as an opportunity to expand itself at the expense of suffering American businesses and taxpayers. We can do better than this load of crap.

[Stagqa]

You have always been quick to criticize but what is the alternative? Do nothing? I have been fortunate that I have been employed over the years with health coverage through my employer. That being said, the premiums have increased every year. It was expected. The only question was how much. Increases in pay have been stagnant but the premiums have risen close to double digits if not more every year. It has been out of control. You do not like the current law so what is the Republican plan? Don't say scrap the bill and start over. Even if that were to be done, what is the plan to address the healthcare issues faced by this country? What did Republicans do to address this issue that has been out there for years? The answer is nothing. So if you don't have a solution, don't criticize others for attempting to make a difference and improve the lives of millions of our fellow citizens.

[prohb]

What reality are you living in??? The only load of xxxx is your tirade. You offer no documentation for anything you said. Even your use of Pelosi's quote is disingenuous and out of context. Give us your experts or peer-reviewed studies who say it will increse premiums. I want to see what actuarial tables you are using? Where and how many businesses are holding back hiring because of the new health care reform bill? Maybe you have't heard in your reality, but we had a little economic crisis from 2007 - present, that is the primary reason they are holding back hiring. And finally where are your experts and peer-reviewed studies proving that it will bankrupt the US and that it is not actually the opposite that will occur if we repeal it.

[obwan222]

"We need to remove and prohibit any and all profits from the health-care industry completely. We need to set up a national program that cares for and protects all American citizens..."

I agree. I think that making money off of sick people is a sin. But like the conservative "genehead" says below - we have to recognize reality.

There is no way that a public option is going to be passed into law for the foreseeable future. So even though this law isn't everything we want, we have to fight for it.

Some people will never be happy with the pace of change, but we have to take heart that change is proving to be possible. And just as conservatives calling for repeal are exceeding their grasp, we have to recognize that a public option, right now, is off the table.

[kevjustice]

when people who live in country's that have universal healthcare(ALL MAJOR DEMOCRACY'S EXCEPT THE U.S.)hear the horror stories of how millions of americans lose their houses, go bankrupt, and even die early because of no insurance they are shocked. how can any democracy, especially the rich u.s., treat it's own people in such a barbaric way. the bill is not perfect but it is a start. we have to have a starting point.

[retm-w]

The starting point would have been to control hospital, drug, and pysicians costs. The dems didn't want to touch those because of all the backroom deals they cut with those groups. Lower those costs and insurance rates are controlled. Until those costs are controlled, insurance rates will keep going up. There is nothing in the bill to control yhose costs.

[obwan222]

"The dems didn't want to touch those... Lower those costs and insurance rates are controlled."

And how does the govt. regulate HC costs? If they try to pass price controls then the conservatives scream about socialism.

The new HC bill does require insurance companies to spend 80% of the premiums they collect on care or preventive care, thus reducing massive CEO bonuses. That should help reduce wasteful spending on inflated administrative fees.

The thrust of the bill is to foster competition between the insurance companies for a larger pool of people buying health care on the open market. In a free market system, that is supposed to be the best way to reduce costs, right?

[mountainstates1]

I support the health care reform bill that the president signed. I can't imagine wanting to go back to insurance companies denying people coverage because of pre-existing conditions or seniors having to pay extra for prescriptions because they fall into the medicare donut-hole. Leave the bill alone!

[pr_boxer]

I support it, and those of you who think you'll get it repealed, no way guys, not going to happen.

[mollydtt]

If they repeal it, I hope it gets replaced with a single payer option.

[RobAla]

Do you really want no choice in your health care (only what the government gives you - with little recourse should you find it insufficient), and do you want the same entity that has grossly mismanaged Social Security and Medicare to entirely run your health care? Do you really want the cold non-compassionate entity that runs the IRS to be your sole source of health care? Health insurance providers have their faults, but at least we have choice with them. I wish you well.