Americans Express Concerns Over Health Care Overhaul

Strategic Insights -

A new poll by the New York Times/CBS News reveals widespread concerns among Americans that overhauling the health care system would lead to changes in their doctors, reduced access to treatment, and increased health care costs and taxes. The poll results indicate a decline in support for key aspects of President Barack Obama's health care proposal, including a government-run insurance program to compete with private insurers. Despite this, a majority of Americans continue to back the idea of fundamental changes to the health care system and believe that President Obama has better ideas on how to address the issue.

Key Takeaways:

  • 76% of Americans describe health care costs as a serious threat to the American economy, a 10 percentage point drop from the previous month.
  • Support for the federal government guaranteeing health insurance for all has dropped from 64% to 55% over the past month.
  • The percentage of Americans supporting a government-run insurance program to compete with private insurers has declined from 72% to 66%.
  • President Obama's job approval rating has dropped to 58% since April, a 10-point decline.
  • 49% of Americans support fundamental changes to the health care system, while 33% believe the system needs to be completely rebuilt.
  • By a lopsided margin, 55% to 26%, people say that President Obama has better ideas about how to change health care than Republicans in Congress.
  • 59% of respondents believe President Obama is making an effort to work with congressional Republicans to produce a plan, but only 33% say Republicans are trying to work with Obama.

Statistics:

  • 76% of Americans describe health care costs as a serious threat to the American economy.
  • 55% of Americans support the federal government guaranteeing health insurance for all, a 9 percentage point decline from the previous month.
  • 66% of Americans believe a government-run insurance program to compete with private insurers is a good idea, a 6 percentage point decline from the previous month.
  • President Obama's job approval rating has dropped to 58% since April.
  • 49% of Americans support fundamental changes to the health care system, while 33% believe the system needs to be completely rebuilt.
  • 55% to 26%: the lopsided margin by which people say President Obama has better ideas about how to change health care than Republicans in Congress.
  • 59% of respondents believe President Obama is making an effort to work with congressional Republicans to produce a plan, but only 33% say Republicans are trying to work with Obama.

Sources:

  • A New York Times/CBS News poll conducted by telephone from Friday to Tuesday.
  • The poll involved 1,050 adults and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.