New Poll Suggests Slim Majority Favors Obama Plan
A new poll conducted by CNN and the Opinion Research Corporation released Wednesday says that 51 percent of people favor the president's health reform plan while 45 percent oppose it, CNN reports.
The survey, which contacted 1,026 adults by telephone, "indicates that most people worry that their health care costs would go up if the administration's proposals passed and only one in five thinks that his or her families would be better off under the Obama plan. 'Women and younger Americans are slightly more likely to support Obama's approach to health care,' said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. 'Those are usually the groups that are more concerned about health care and health insurance.'"
The poll also found that 55 percent think the "health care system is in need of a great deal of reform," while 40 percent say only some reform is needed. About half also trust Obama more than Republicans to handle the overhaul while 38 percent trust Republicans more than Obama.
"'Two-thirds believe that the president's plan would allow them to see the same doctors they currently receive care from, and most say that their health insurance provider would not go out of business if Obama's plan is passed,' Holland said."
"The poll does provide some ammunition for Republicans opposed to the president's proposals, however. Fifty-four percent of those surveyed say their medical insurance costs would increase if the Obama plan became law, with 17 percent saying their costs would decrease" (Steinhauser, 7/1).
