Last updated on: 2/8/2011 | Author: ProCon.org

Health Care Reform Opinion Polls/Surveys

 

  1. CBS / New York Times (Jan. 15-19, 2011)
  2. NBC / Wall Street Journal (Jan. 13-17, 2011)
  3. AP / GfK Roper (Jan. 5-11, 2011)
  4. Harvard / Kaiser Family Foundation (Jan. 4-14, 2011)
  5. CNN / Opinion Research (Dec. 17-19, 2010)
  1. FOX News / Opinion Dynamics (Dec. 14-15, 2010)
  2. USA Today / Gallup (Nov. 4-7, 2010)
  3. FOX News / Opinion Dynamics (Mar. 16-17, 2010)
  4. Kaiser Family Foundation (Mar. 10-15, 2010)
  5. CBS News / New York Times (Apr. 1-5, 2009)

1. CBS / New York Times (Jan. 15-19, 2011)

“Do you think Congress should try to repeal the health care law that was passed last year, or should they let it stand?”

Repeal lawLet it standDon’t know
40%48%12%

“Among those who say ‘repeal the law,’ what part of the health care law that was passed last year would you MOST like to see repealed?”

RepublicanDemocratic *Independent
Insurance mandate 27%Not applicable (N/A)31%
Everything20%N/A26%
Funding abortions3%N/A1%
Higher premiums 3%N/A0%
Higher taxes 1%N/A2%
Requiring business to provide insurance1%N/A1%
Gov’t involvement1%N/A2%
Paying for uninsured 0%N/A1%
Death panels1%N/A1%
No choice0%N/A0%
Cover children to age 262%N/A0%
Cover pre-existing condition 1%N/A1%
Medicare1%N/A1%
Other3%N/A4%
Don’t know / Not applicable36%N/A29%

*None of the Democrats surveyed wanted to repeal the health care law

Subjects: 1,036 adults
Margin of Error: ±3%
Source: CBS News and New York Times , “Repeal Health Care Reform?,” , Jan. 20, 2011

2. NBC / Wall Street Journal (Jan. 13-17, 2011)

“From what you have heard about Barack Obama’s health care plan that was passed by Congress and signed into law by the President last year, do you think his plan is a good idea or a bad idea?”

Good ideaBad ideaDo not have an opinionNot sure
39%39%21%1%

“Would you favor or oppose repealing and eliminating this new health care law?”

FavorOpposeNo opinionNot sure
45%46%7%2%

Subjects: 1,000 adults
Margin of Error: ± 3.1%
Source: NBC News and Wall Street Journal , “Study #11023,” , Jan. 2011

3. AP / GfK Roper (Jan. 5-11, 2011)

“In general, do you support, oppose or neither support nor oppose the health care reforms that were passed by Congress in March?”

SupportNeither support nor opposeOpposeDon’t know
40%16%41%3%

“Do you favor, oppose, or neither favor nor oppose a law that would require every American to have health insurance, or pay money to the government as a penalty if they do not, unless the person is very poor?”

FavorOpposeNeither favor nor opposeDon’t know
31%59%13%3%

“Do you favor, oppose, or neither favor nor oppose a law requiring insurance companies to sell health insurance to a person who is currently sick or has had a serious illness in the past, which would probably cause most Americans to pay more for health insurance?”

FavorOpposeNeither favor nor opposeDon’t know
50%34%17%4%

“Do you favor, oppose, or neither favor nor oppose a law saying that an insurance company cannot stop selling health insurance to one of their customers if that person gets a serious illness?”

FavorOpposeNeither favor nor opposeDon’t know
59%34%7%1%

Subjects: 1,001 adults
Margin of Error: ± 4.2%
Source: Associated Press and GFKCustom Research North America, “The AP-GfK Poll: January, 2011,” , Jan. 2011

4. Harvard / Kaiser Family Foundation (Jan. 4-14, 2011)

“As you may know, a health reform bill was signed into law early last year. Given what you know about the health reform law, do you have a generally favorable or generally unfavorable opinion of it?”

Generally favorableGenerally unfavorableDon’t know/refused
41%50%9%

“What would you like to see Congress do when it comes to the health care law?”

Expand lawKeep law as isRepeal law & replace with Republican alternativeRepeal law & not replace it
Democrats51%32%3%8%
Republicans7%8%47%30%
Independents24%16%25%22%
Total28%19%23%20%

Subjects: 1,502 adults
Margin of Error: ± 3%
Source: HarvardSchool of Public Health and Kaiser Family Foundation , “The Public’s Health Care Agenda for the 112th Congress,” , Jan. 2011

5. CNN / Opinion Research Corporation (Dec. 17-19, 2010)

“As you may know, a bill that makes major changes to the country’s health care system became law earlier this year. Based on what you have read or heard about that legislation, do you generally favor or generally oppose it?”

FavorOpposeNo opinion
43%54%3%

Now here are a few provisions in the health care bill. Please tell me whether you favor or oppose each one:

FavorOpposeNo opinion
Requiring all Americans who do not have health insurance to get it38%60%2%
Preventing health insurance companies from dropping coverage for people who become seriously ill61%39%N/A
Preventing health insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions64%35%1%

Subjects: 1,008 adults
Margin of Error: ± 3%
Source: CNN and Opinion Research , “CNN / Opinion Research Corporation Poll,” , Dec. 27, 2010

6. FOX News / Opinion Dynamics (Dec. 14-15, 2010)

“Which one of the following comes closest to what you would like to see lawmakers do with the new health care law — would you like lawmakers to repeal the law entirely, repeal parts of the law, expand the law, or leave it as is?”

Repeal it entirelyRepeal parts of the lawExpand it Leave it as it isDon’t know
Democrats4%29%26%28%13%
Republicans48%32%7%9%4%
Independents30%37%12%11%9%
Total 27%32%15%16%9%

“Some Americans choose not to buy health insurance even though they can afford it. The president’s plan requires all Americans who can afford it to have some form of health insurance or else pay a penalty. Failure to pay the penalty would result in an even larger fine, a jail sentence of up to one-year, or both. Do you think the government should be able to require all Americans who can afford it to have health insurance or pay a penalty, or not?”

YesNoDon’t know
Democrats45%50%5%
Republicans13%85%2%
Independents22%75%3%
Total 28%69%4%

Subjects: 900 adults
Margin of Error: ± 3%
Source: Fox News and Opinion Dynamics , “Fox News Poll,” , Dec. 16, 2010

7. USA Today / Gallup (Nov. 4-7, 2010)

“Taking everything into account, do you think the new healthcare law – goes too far, is about right, (or) does not go far enough?”

Goes too farIs about rightDoes not go far enoughNo opinion
42%20%29%8%

“Asked of those who say healthcare law goes too far: Would you like to see Congress – keep the health care law in place but scale it back considerably, repeal the healthcare law and start work on a new healthcare bill, (or) repeal the healthcare law and NOT pass a new healthcare bill?”

Should keep in place but scale back considerablyShould repeal and star on new billShould repeal and not pass a new lawUnspecified
7%25%10%N/A

Subjects: 1,021 adults
Margin of Error: ± 4%
Source: USA Today and Gallup News Service , “Gallup Poll Social Series: Health and Healthcare,” , Nov. 2010

8. FOX News / Opinion Dynamics (Mar. 16-17, 2010)

“Some Americans choose not to buy health insurance even though they can afford it. The president’s plan requires all Americans who can afford it to have some form of health insurance or else pay a penalty. Failure to pay the penalty would result in an even larger fine, a jail sentence of up to one-year, or both. Do you think the government should be able to require all Americans who can afford it to have health insurance or pay a penalty, or not?”

YesNoDon’t know
Democrats48%47%4%
Republicans11%88%1%
Independents26%71%4%
Total 29%68%3%

Subjects: 900 adults
Margin of Error: ± 3%
Source: Fox News and Opinion Dynamics , “Fox News Poll,” , Dec. 16, 2010

9. Kaiser Family Foundation (Mar. 10-15, 2010)

“As of right now, do you generally support or generally oppose the health care proposals being discussed in Congress? Is that strongly or somewhat?”

RepublicanDemocratIndependentTotal
Strongly support4%52%20%28%
Somewhat support9%23%16%18%
Somewhat oppose14%6%10%9%
Strongly oppose66%9%38%33%

“Do you think you and your family would be better off or worse off if the president and Congress passed health care reform, or don’t you think it would make much difference?”

Better offWorse offWouldn’t make much difference
35%32%28%

Subjects:1,208 adults
Margin of Error: ± 3%
Source: Kaiser Family Foundation , “Kaiser Health Tracking Poll: Public Opinion on Health Care Issues,” , Mar. 2010

10. CBS News / New York Times (Apr. 1-5, 2009)

“Beside the economy, which of these domestic policy areas do you want the President and Congress to concentrate on MOST right now – health care, energy, education, or Social Security?”

RepublicanDemocratIndependent
Health care22%51%26%
Energy16%9%21%
Education26%17%23%
Social security19%14%18%
Something else / combination12%8%94%
Don’t know5%1%3%

“Would you be willing or not willing to pay higher taxes so that all Americans have health insurance they can’t lose, no matter what?”

RepublicanDemocratIndependent
Willing29%73%58%
Not willing66%23%36%
Don’t know5%4%6%

Subjects: 998 adults
Margin of Error: ± 3%
Source: CBS News and New York Times , “Americans’ Views on Health Care,” , April, 6, 2009