USA Today/Gallup Poll: Americans want health care reform
A new USA Today/Gallup poll just out of the field has some interesting data about Americans' opinions on health care reform, as the Congressional debate continues:
The poll of 3,026 adults, surveyed Friday through Sunday, has a margin of error of +/—2 percentage points. Some questions, asked of half the sample, have an error margin of +/—3 points.
By 56%-33%, those surveyed endorse the idea of enacting major health care changes this year. Just one in four say it's not important to them.
When it comes to financing the costs, six of 10 favor the idea of requiring employers to provide health insurance for their workers or pay a fee instead. Increasing income taxes on upper-income Americans, an approach backed by House Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., is endorsed by 58%. Just over half support taxing sugary soft drinks.
By 53%-43%, though, those surveyed oppose taxing health care benefits above a certain level — Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., had floated that idea — and even more are against cutting Medicare costs, a provision of House and Senate plans.
Only 10% of respondents said they trust Congressional Republicans most when it comes to reforming health care. This may or may not be related to the fact that Roy Blunt's health care task force still hasn't managed to present anything resembling a plan.
