Americans Support ‘Medicare For All’ In Theory, But Support Plummets When Realities Of Paying For It Are Specified
A new poll finds that support for a single-payer health care system depends on how the question is framed. When people were told "Medicare for All" would guarantee health insurance as a right, support rose to 71 percent. But when taxes were brought up, it plunged to 37 percent. Meanwhile, as the 2020 gets into swing, progressives embrace calls for a "Medicare for All" plan.
The Associated Press:
Poll: Support For 'Medicare-For-All' Fluctuates With Details
"Medicare-for-all" makes a good first impression, but support plunges when people are asked if they'd pay higher taxes or put up with treatment delays to get it. The survey, released Wednesday by the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation, comes as Democratic presidential hopefuls embrace the idea of a government-run health care system, considered outside the mainstream of their party until Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders made it the cornerstone of his 2016 campaign. President Donald Trump is opposed, saying "Medicare-for-all" would "eviscerate" the current program for seniors. (Alonso-Zaldivar, 1/23)
The Hill:
Poll: 56 Percent Of Public Supports Medicare For All
Progressives are pushing the new Democratic House majority to move forward on the idea, and many Democratic presidential hopefuls have signed onto the idea as well. More centrist Democratic lawmakers remain opposed to the proposal, however. The poll finds that there are wide swings in support and opposition to the idea depending on how the question is asked. (Sullivan, 1/23)
Bloomberg:
Poll Shows Majority Support For Medicare-For-All As 2020 Revs Up
Still, the term Medicare-for-all may mean different things to different candidates. The Kaiser poll showed greater support for proposals that expand the U.S. health-care program for older people without eliminating private insurance. For instance, 74 percent favor creating a government-run plan like Medicare that’s open to everyone while also allowing Americans to keep the coverage they have, according to the poll. At the same time, 77 percent support the idea of allowing people between the ages of 50 and 64 to buy into Medicare, and 75 percent favor letting people who don’t get coverage through an employer buy health insurance through Medicaid, the survey found. The age of eligibility for Medicare is usually 65. (Kapur, 1/23)
The Washington Post:
Democrats And Their Voters Have Shifted Left As 2020 Nears. They’re Betting The Rest Of The Country Follows.
The last time Democrats scouted for a presidential nominee who could strip the White House from Republicans, the party supported additional fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border. Same-sex marriage was illegal in 49 states, and few Democratic candidates were pushing to change that. And only one long-shot presidential hopeful talked about “Medicare-for-all.” A dozen years later, Democratic candidates and potential ones now argue that more barricades are not what is needed at the border. Candidates who once dodged questions about same-sex marriage now support it and are calling for greater protection of transgender individuals. “Medicare-for-all” — or something like it — has become standard, along with promises to combat racism, sexism and global climate change. (Weigel and Johnson, 1/22)
