Health Policy

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Health Policy	See also: Biotech \| Marijuana (medical use) \| President Obama: Ratings on health care

AP-GfK Poll conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Corporate Communications. Dec. 8-12, 2011. N=1,000 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 4.

"In general, do you support, oppose or neither support nor oppose the health care reforms that were passed by Congress in March of 2010?" 3/10 & earlier: "In general, do you support, oppose or neither support nor oppose the health care reform plans being discussed in Congress?"

		Support	Oppose	Neither	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	12/8-12/11	29	49	18	5
	6/16-20/11	36	46	15	3
	3/24-28/11	35	45	17	2
	1/5-10/11	40	41	16	3
	11/3-8/10	38	47	12	4
	10/13-18/10	40	45	11	3
	9/8-13/10	41	46	12	1
	6/9-14/10	45	42	13	1
	5/7-11/10	39	46	14	1
	4/7-12/10	39	50	10	1

	3/3-8/10	41	43	12	4
	1/12-17/10	42	42	14	2
	12/10-14/09	36	44	18	2
	11/5-9/09	39	45	14	3
	10/1-5/09	40	40	17	3
	9/3-8/09	34	49	15	2

"Do you think the federal government should have the power to require all Americans to buy health insurance, and to pay a fine if they don't, or do you think the federal government should not have that power?"

		Should	Should not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	12/8-12/11	15	84	1
	8/18-22/11	16	82	2
	8/11-16/10	17	83	1

NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll conducted by the polling organizations of Peter Hart (D) and Bill McInturff (R). Dec. 7-11, 2011. N=1,000 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.1.

"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? If you do not have an opinion either way, please just say so." 5/10 & 6/10: "From what you have heard about Barack Obama's health care plan that was recently passed by Congress and signed into law by the President, do you think his plan is a good idea or a bad idea? If you do not have an opinion either way, please just say so." 3/10 & earlier: "From what you have heard about Barack Obama's health care plan, do you think his plan is a good idea or a bad idea? If you do not have an opinion either way, please just say so."

		Good idea	Bad idea	No opinion	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	12/7-11/11	34	41	24	1
	1/13-17/11	39	39	21	1
	6/17-21/10	40	44	16	-
	5/6-10/10	38	44	17	1
	3/11, 13-14/10	36	48	15	1
	1/23-25/10	31	46	22	1
	1/10-14/10	33	46	18	3
	12/11-14/09	32	47	17	4
	10/22-25/09	38	42	16	4
	9/17-20/09	39	41	17	3
	8/15-17/09	36	42	17	5
	7/24-27/09	36	42	17	5
	6/12-15/09	33	32	30	5
	4/23-26/09	33	26	34	7

"And, would you favor or oppose repealing and eliminating this new health care law? ... And, do you feel that way strongly, or not so strongly?"

		Strongly favor repeal	Not so strongly favor repeal	Not so strongly oppose repeal	Strongly oppose repeal	No opinion	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%	%
	12/7-11/11	36	10	15	25	10	4
	1/13-17/11	35	10	12	34	7	2

CNN/ORC Poll. Nov. 18-20, 2011. N=1,019 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.

"As you may know, a bill that makes major changes to the country's health care system became law lin 2010. Based on what you have read or heard about that legislation, do you generally favor or generally oppose it?" 3/11 & 6/11: "As you may know, a bill that makes major changes to the country's health care system became law last year. ..." 8/10 & 12/10: "As you may know, a bill that makes major changes to the country's health care system became law earlier this year. ..." 3/10: "As you may know, the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate are trying to pass final legislation that would make major changes in the country's health care system. ..."

		Favor	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	11/18-20/11	38	56	6
	6/3-7/11	39	56	5
	3/11-13/11	37	59	5
	12/17-19/10	43	54	3
	8/6-10/10	40	56	4
	3/19-21/10	39	59	2

"As you may know, a bill that makes major changes to the country's health care system became law in 2010. Based on what you have read or heard about that legislation, do you generally favor or generally oppose it?" If oppose: "Do you oppose that legislation because you think its approach toward health care is too liberal, or because you think it is not liberal enough?" Combined responses 3/11 & 6/11: "As you may know, a bill that makes major changes to the country's health care system became law last year. ..." 8/10 & 12/10: "As you may know, a bill that makes major changes to the country's health care system became law earlier this year. ..." 3/10: "As you may know, the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate are trying to pass final legislation that would make major changes in the country's health care system. ..."

		Favor	Oppose: Too liberal	Oppose: Not liberal enough	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	11/18-20/11	38	37	14	10
	6/3-7/11	39	36	14	10
	3/11-13/11	37	43	13	7
	12/17-19/10	43	37	13	7
	8/6-10/10	40	41	13	6
	3/19-21/10	39	43	13	5

Quinnipiac University Poll. Nov. 14-20, 2011. N=2,552 registered voters nationwide. Margin of error ą 1.9.

"Do you think Congress should try to repeal the new health care law, or should they let it stand?"

		Try to repeal	Let it stand	Unsure
		%	%	%
	11/14-20/11	47	41	12
	4/26 - 5/1/11	44	45	11
	1/4-11/11	48	43	8

"The Supreme Court will hear a challenge to the new health care law. Do you want the Supreme Court to uphold the new health care law or overturn it?"

		Uphold it	Overturn it	Unsure
		%	%	%
	11/14-20/11	40	48	12

Kaiser Family Foundation Health Tracking Poll. Nov. 10-15, 2011. N=1,209 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.

"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?" Options rotated 2010: "As you may know, a new health reform bill was signed into law earlier this year. Given what you know about the new health reform law, do you have a generally favorable or generally unfavorable opinion of it?"

		Favorable	Unfavorable	Unsure/ Refused
		%	%	%
	11/10-15/11	37	44	19
	10/13-18/11	34	51	15
	9/7-12/11	41	43	16
	8/10-15/11	39	44	17
	7/13-18/11	42	43	15
	6/9-14/11	42	46	12
	5/12-17/11	42	44	14
	4/7-12/11	41	41	18
	3/8-13/11	42	46	13
	2/8-13/11	43	48	8
	1/4-14/11	41	50	9
	12/1-6/10	42	41	18

	11/3-6/10	42	40	18
	Midterm voters	42	49	10

	10/5-10/10	42	44	15
	9/14-19/10	49	40	11
	8/16-22/10	43	45	12
	7/8-13/10	50	35	14
	6/17-22/10	48	41	10
	5/11-16/10	41	44	14

"Do you think [see below] will be better off or worse off under the health reform law, or don't you think it will make much difference?" 2010: "Do you think [see below] will be better off or worse off under the new health reform law, or don't you think it will make much difference?"

		Better off	Worse off	Not much difference	Unsure/ Refused
		%	%	%	%

	"You and your family"
	11/10-15/11	23	31	41	5
	10/13-18/11	18	31	44	6
	9/7-12/11	27	32	34	7
	8/10-15/11	24	33	37	6
	7/13-18/11	27	29	39	5
	6/9-14/11	24	34	35	7
	5/12-17/11	28	28	38	6
	4/7-12/11	27	28	37	8
	3/8-13/11	26	30	39	5
	2/8-13/11	28	31	38	3
	1/4-14/11	20	32	44	4
	12/1-6/10	32	33	28	7
	11/3-6/10	25	31	34	9
	10/5-10/10	31	29	32	7
	9/14-19/10	32	28	33	7
	8/16-22/10	29	30	36	5
	7/8-13/10	32	29	33	6
	6/17-22/10	28	28	39	5
	5/11-16/10	29	30	32	8
	4/9-14/10	31	32	30	8

	"The country as a whole"
	11/10-15/11	35	36	22	7
	10/13-18/11	28	36	29	7
	9/7-12/11	38	36	18	8
	8/10-15/11	33	37	21	9
	7/13-18/11	39	35	20	6
	6/9-14/11	35	39	20	6
	5/12-17/11	37	38	19	6
	4/7-12/11	39	35	18	9
	3/8-13/11	38	35	19	7
	2/8-13/11	37	39	19	5
	1/4-14/11	34	38	22	5
	12/1-6/10	40	37	15	8
	11/3-6/10	38	36	16	10
	10/5-10/10	39	34	18	9
	9/14-19/10	42	34	15	9
	8/16-22/10	39	37	18	6
	7/8-13/10	43	35	15	7
	6/17-22/10	42	32	19	6
	5/11-16/10	43	35	13	9
	4/9-14/10	45	35	11	9

	"Seniors, that is, those ages 65 and older"
	11/10-15/11	32	36	21	11
	7/13-18/11	34	37	19	10
	6/9-14/11	31	41	19	9
	5/12-17/11	35	36	22	8
	2/8-13/11	31	42	22	5
	1/4-14/11	32	39	21	8
	9/14-19/10	38	35	18	9
	7/8-13/10	36	36	18	10
	4/9-14/10	36	33	20	12

	"The Medicare Program"
	11/10-15/11	22	32	27	19
	7/13-18/11	27	37	21	15
	6/9-14/11	26	37	24	14
	4/7-12/11	28	31	21	20
	3/8-13/11	26	33	22	19
	2/8-13/11	24	35	29	12
	1/4-14/11	24	36	25	15
	12/1-6/10	28	34	19	19
	10/5-10/10	31	32	19	18
	9/14-19/10	31	33	22	14
	7/8-13/10	33	30	22	15

	"The uninsured"
	11/10-15/11	51	23	17	9
	8/10-15/11	49	20	22	9
	5/12-17/11	55	25	15	5
	9/14-19/10	57	20	15	8
	4/9-14/10	67	15	10	8

	"People with pre-existing health conditions"
	11/10-15/11	48	25	16	11
	9/7-12/11	52	21	16	11

	"Lower-income Americans"
	11/10-15/11	49	28	16	7
	5/12-17/11	52	29	14	5
	2/8-13/11	51	29	18	3
	1/4-14/11	48	27	21	4
	9/14-19/10	60	21	14	5
	4/9-14/10	64	19	9	8

	"Middle class Americans"
	11/10-15/11	31	37	25	7
	5/12-17/11	31	38	25	5
	2/8-13/11	32	40	24	5
	1/4-14/11	27	42	27	4
	9/14-19/10	38	38	18	7
	4/9-14/10	34	36	21	8

"What would you like to see Congress do when it comes to the health care law? They should expand the law. They should keep the law as is. They should repeal the law and replace it with a Republican-sponsored alternative. They should repeal the law and not replace it." Options rotated

		Expand	Keep as is	Replace with GOP law	Repeal and not replace	Unsure/ Refused
		%	%	%	%	%
	11/10-15/11	32	18	15	24	11
	9/7-12/11	33	19	16	21	12
	7/13-18/11	33	20	16	21	10
	6/9-14/11	31	20	19	19	12
	5/12-17/11	30	21	19	19	10
	4/7-12/11	33	19	15	20	14
	3/8-13/11	30	21	18	21	10
	2/8-13/11	30	20	19	20	10
	1/4-14/11	28	19	23	20	10

CNN/ORC Poll. Nov. 11-13, 2011. N=1,036 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.

"As you may know, the health care bill passed in 2010 includes a provision that will require all Americans who do not have health insurance to get it. Do you favor or oppose that provision?" 6/11: "As you may know, that legislation included a provision that will require all Americans who do not have health insurance to get it. Do you favor or oppose that provision?"

		Favor	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	11/11-13/11	52	47	2
	Democrats	75	23	1
	Independents	52	46	2
	Republicans	24	76	-

	6/3-7/11	44	54	2

Gallup Poll. Nov. 3-6, 2011. N=1,012 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 4.

"Overall, how would you rate the quality of health care in this country -- as excellent, good, only fair, or poor?"

		Excellent	Good	Only fair	Poor	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	11/3-6/11	20	39	29	11	1

"Overall, how would you rate health care coverage in this country -- as excellent, good, only fair, or poor?"

		Excellent	Good	Only fair	Poor	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	11/3-6/11	6	27	41	24	2

"Are you generally satisfied or dissatisfied with the total cost of health care in this country?"

		Satisfied	Dissatisfied	Unsure
		%	%	%
	11/3-6/11	20	78	2
	11/4-7/10	23	76	1
	11/5-8/09	26	72	2
	11/13-16/08	19	79	2
	11/11-14/07	17	81	2
	11/9-12/06	19	79	2
	11/7-10/05	20	79	1
	11/7-10/04	21	78	1
	11/3-5/03	20	79	1
	11/11-14/02	22	75	3
	11/8-11/01	28	71	1

"Which of these statements do you think best describes the U.S. health care system today? It is in a state of crisis. It has major problems. It has minor problems. OR, It does not have any problems." Options rotated

		State of crisis	Major problems	Minor problems	No problems	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	11/3-6/11	16	57	24	1	1
	11/4-7/10	17	55	26	1	1
	11/5-8/09	21	50	25	2	1
	9/11-13/09	17	56	25	2	-
	11/13-16/08	14	59	26	1	1
	11/11-14/07	17	56	24	2	1
	11/9-12/06	16	55	25	3	1
	11/7-10/05	18	52	28	1	1
	11/7-10/04	14	53	31	2	-
	11/3-5/03	14	54	30	1	1
	11/11-14/02	11	54	32	2	1
	11/8-11/01	5	44	47	2	2
	9/11-13/00	12	58	28	1	1

"Do you think it is the responsibility of the federal government to make sure all Americans have health care coverage, or is that not the responsibility of the federal government?"

		Is	Is not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	11/3-6/11	50	46	4
	11/4-7/10	47	50	3
	11/5-8/09	47	50	3
	11/13-16/08	54	41	5
	11/11-14/07	64	33	3
	11/9-12/06	69	28	3
	11/7-10/05	58	38	4
	11/7-10/04	64	34	2
	11/3-5/03	59	39	2
	11/11-14/02	62	35	3
	11/8-11/01	62	34	4
	9/11-13/00	64	31	5
	1/13-16/00	59	38	3

"Which of the following approaches for providing health care in the United States would you prefer: a government-run health care system, or a system based mostly on private health insurance?" Options rotated

		Government- run	Private insurance	Unsure
		%	%	%
	11/3-6/11	39	56	6
	11/4-7/10	34	61	5

"Within the last twelve months, have you or a member of your family put off any sort of medical treatment because of the cost you would have to pay?"

		Yes	No	Unsure
		%	%	%
	11/3-6/11	30	70	-
	11/4-7/10	30	69	1
	11/5-8/09	29	71	-
	11/13-16/08	29	70	1
	11/11-14/07	30	70	-
	11/9-12/06	30	69	1
	11/7-10/05	28	71	1
	11/7-10/04	26	74	-
	11/3-5/03	24	76	-
	11/11-14/02	25	75	-
	11/8-11/01	19	81	-

"Overall, how would you rate the quality of health care you receive -- as excellent, good, only fair, or poor?"

		Excellent	Good	Only fair	Poor	Not applicable (vol.)
		%	%	%	%	%
	11/3-6/11	40	42	11	5	1

"Overall, how would you rate your health care coverage -- as excellent, good, only fair, or poor?"

		Excellent	Good	Only fair	Poor	Not applicable (vol.)
		%	%	%	%	%
	11/3-6/11	29	43	14	11	3

"Are you generally satisfied or dissatisfied with the total cost you pay for your health care?"

		Satisfied	Dissatisfied	Unsure
		%	%	%
	11/3-6/11	60	38	2
	11/4-7/10	58	40	2
	11/5-8/09	62	36	2
	11/13-16/08	58	39	3
	11/11-14/07	57	39	4
	11/9-12/06	54	42	4
	11/7-10/05	57	41	2
	11/7-10/04	58	41	1
	11/3-5/03	57	41	2
	11/11-14/02	58	39	3
	11/8-11/01	64	33	3

"If you had to choose, do you think the health care law should be kept in place or should be repealed?" Options rotated

		Kept in place	Repealed	Unsure
		%	%	%
	11/3-6/11	42	47	11

USA Today/Gallup Poll. Oct. 26-27, 2011. N=1,056 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 4. Interviews conducted as part of Gallup Daily tracking.

"As you may know, last year, Congress passed a law that restructures the nation's health care system. All in all, do you think it is a good thing or a bad thing that Congress passed this law?"

		Good thing	Bad thing	Unsure
		%	%	%
	10/26-27/11	42	47	11

CBS News/New York Times Poll. Oct. 19-24, 2011. N=1,650 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.

"Do you think Congress should try to repeal the health care law that was passed last year, or should they let it stand?" If repeal: "Should they repeal the entire law or only certain parts?" Combined responses

		Repeal entire law	Repeal parts	Let it stand	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	10/19-24/11	25	20	41	14
	9/10-15/11	30	17	40	13

Kaiser Family Foundation Health Tracking Poll. Aug. 10-15, 2011. N=1,201 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.

"Do you think [see below] will be better off or worse off under the health reform law, or don't you think it will make much difference?"

		Better off	Worse off	Not much difference	Unsure/ Refused
		%	%	%	%

	"People who currently get health insurance through an employer"
	8/10-15/11	24	35	30	11

"In general, do you support or oppose the new federal requirement that private health insurance plans cover the full cost of birth control and other preventive services for their female patients?"

		Support	Oppose	Unsure/ Refused
		%	%	%
	8/10-15/11	66	24	10

Kaiser Family Foundation Health Tracking Poll. July 13-18, 2011. N=1,201 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.

"As far as you know, will the health reform law increase the federal budget deficit over the next ten years, decrease the deficit over the next ten years, or is it not expected to have much impact on the deficit?"

		Increase	Decrease	Not much impact	Unsure/ Refused
		%	%	%	%
	7/13-18/11	51	15	25	10
	1/4-14/11	60	11	23	6

Quinnipiac University Poll. July 5-11, 2011. N=2,311 registered voters nationwide. Margin of error ą 2.

"Who do you trust to do a better job handling Medicare, which is the government program which pays for health care for the elderly: President Obama or the Republicans in Congress?"

		President Obama	Republicans in Congress	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/5-11/11	50	37	13
	5/31 - 6/6/11	44	40	16

Bloomberg Poll conducted by Selzer & Company. June 17-20, 2011. N=1,000 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.1.

"Turning to the health care law passed last year, what is your opinion of the law? It should be repealed. It may need small modifications, but we should see how it works. It should be left alone."

		Should be repealed	See how it works	Should be left alone	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	6/17-20/11	35	51	11	3

"In order to preserve Medicare in largely its current state, some changes might need to be made. For each of the following, please tell me if you would favor or oppose the change. . . ." Options rotated

		Favor	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%

	"New limits on medical services that would be covered by Medicare"
	6/17-20/11	49	47	4

	"Higher payroll taxes than employees and employers currently pay so that the Medicare system has more money"
	6/17-20/11	41	56	3

	"Means-testing for Medicare benefits which would reduce coverage for wealthy Americans"
	6/17-20/11	67	28	5

"One proposal currently being debated in Congress is to replace traditional Medicare so that individuals buy their own private insurance with the help of government subsidies. Do you think you would be better off or worse off under this proposed system for Medicare?"

		Better off	Worse off	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/17-20/11	34	57	9

"In general, which party do you think is doing a better job of dealing with Medicare: the Republicans or the Democrats?"

		Republicans	Democrats	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/17-20/11	34	43	23

Pew Research Center. June 15-19, 2011. N=1,502 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.5.

"Now thinking about the way some things work in this country, do you think the Medicare system in this country works pretty well and requires only MINOR CHANGES, do you think it needs MAJOR CHANGES, or do you think it needs to be COMPLETELY REBUILT?"

		Minor changes	Major changes	Completely rebuilt	Unsure/ Refused
		%	%	%	%
	6/15-19/11	38	33	21	8
	2/06	26	42	28	4

"Now thinking about the way some things work in this country, do you think the Medicaid system, which provides health and long-term care to low-income people in this country, works pretty well and requires only MINOR CHANGES, do you think it needs MAJOR CHANGES, or do you think it needs to be COMPLETELY REBUILT?"

		Minor changes	Major changes	Completely rebuilt	Unsure/ Refused
		%	%	%	%
	6/15-19/11	39	37	17	8

"From what you know, how good a job does each of the following do serving the people it covers? Does [see below] do an excellent, good, only fair, or poor job serving the people it covers?" If respondent says they are not covered by the program: "Just your impression from what you know about it."

		Excellent	Good	Only fair	Poor	Unsure/ Refused
		%	%	%	%	%

	"Medicare, which provides health care to seniors and people with permanent disabilities"
	6/15-19/11	7	34	40	13	6

	"Medicaid, which provides health and long-term care to low-income people"
	6/15-19/11	6	30	40	14	10

	"Private health insurance"
	6/15-19/11	5	31	37	20	7

"And from what you know about its financial condition, is Medicare in excellent, good, only fair, or poor shape financially?"

		Excellent	Good	Only fair	Poor	Unsure/ Refused
		%	%	%	%	%
	6/15-19/11	2	16	38	36	8

"And from what you know about its financial condition, is Medicaid in excellent, good, only fair, or poor shape financially?"

		Excellent	Good	Only fair	Poor	Unsure/ Refused
		%	%	%	%	%
	6/15-19/11	2	13	35	37	13

"What is more important: taking steps to reduce the budget deficit, or keeping Social Security and Medicare benefits as they are?"

		Reducing the budget deficit	Keeping benefits as they are	Both equally (vol.)	Unsure/ Refused
		%	%	%	%
	6/15-19/11	32	60	4	5
	2/95	24	70	2	4

"From what you know about the Medicare program that provides health care for seniors and people with permanent disabilities, does the program make it too easy to get medical care and treatments that may not be necessary, too difficult to get medical care and treatments that may be necessary, or is Medicare coverage about right?"

		Too easy to get care that's not necessary	Too difficult to get care that's necessary	About right	Other/Mixed (vol.)	Unsure/ Refused
		%	%	%	%	%
	6/15-19/11	16	32	40	1	11

"Which comes closer to your view, even if neither is exactly right? People on Medicare need to be responsible for more of the costs of their health care in order to keep the program financially secure. People on Medicare already pay enough of the cost of their health care."

		Need to pay more	Already pay enough	Neither (vol.)	Unsure/ Refused
		%	%	%	%
	6/15-19/11	31	61	1	6

"And one question about a current debate over the MEDICAID program for low-income people. Which comes closer to your view? States should be able to cut back on who is eligible for Medicaid in order to deal with budget problems. Low-income people should not have their Medicaid benefits taken away."

		States should be able to cut back	People should not have benefits taken away	Neither (vol.)	Other (vol.)	Unsure/ Refused
		%	%	%	%	%
	6/15-19/11	37	58	1	1	2

CBS News Poll. June 3-7, 2011. N=1,024 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.

"Overall, do you think the benefits from Medicare are worth the cost of the program for taxpayers, or are they not worth the cost?"

		Worth it	Not worth it	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/3-7/11	68	21	11
	4/15-20/11	61	29	10

"From what you've heard or read, do you approve or disapprove of the health care law that was enacted last year?" If approve: "Do you strongly approve or somewhat approve?" If Disapprove: "Do you somewhat disapprove or strongly disapprove?" 7/10 through 2/11: "From what you've heard or read, do you approve or disapprove of the health care law that was enacted last March? ..." 3/29 - 4/1/10: "From what you've heard or read, do you approve or disapprove of the new health care reform bill? ..." 3/18-21/10: "From what you've heard or read, do you approve or disapprove of the current health care reform bill? ..."

		Strongly approve	Somewhat approve	Somewhat disapprove	Strongly disapprove	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	6/3-7/11	14	23	15	33	15
	2/11-14/11	14	19	17	34	16
	10/1-5/10	16	23	16	27	18
	9/10-14/10	15	22	15	34	14
	7/9-12/10	17	19	16	33	15
	3/29 - 4/1/10	16	16	14	39	15
	3/18-21/10	13	24	15	33	15

"Which of the following three statements comes closest to expressing your overall view of Medicare? (1) On the whole, Medicare works pretty well and only minor changes are necessary to make it work better. (2) There are some good things about Medicare, but fundamental changes are needed. (3) Medicare has so much wrong with it that we need to completely rebuild it."

		Make minor changes	Make fundamental changes	Rebuild it	Don't make any changes (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	6/3-7/11	27	53	13	2	5
	8/27-31/09	25	52	16	1	6

"Which of the following do you think is the best way for the Medicare program to be set up in the future? Should the Medicare program continue the way it is set up now, as a program that pays the doctors and hospitals that treat senior citizens; OR, change the way it is set up, and instead become a program that gives senior citizens payments towards the purchase of private insurance?"

		Continue the way it is	Change	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/3-7/11	58	31	11

"How much have you heard or read about the changes to the Medicare system recently proposed by Congressman Paul Ryan and passed by House Republicans: a lot , some, not much, or nothing at all?"

		A lot	Some	Not much	Nothing at all	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	6/3-7/11	11	27	28	31	3

"Do you feel you have a good understanding of how the proposed Medicare changes would work or is it confusing to you?"

		Have a good understanding	Confused	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/3-7/11	19	67	14

ABC News/Washington Post Poll. June 2-5, 2011. N=1,002 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.5.

"Who do you trust to do a better job protecting the Medicare system: Obama or the Republicans in Congress?" Options rotated

		Obama	Republicans in Congress	Both (vol.)	Neither (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	6/2-5/11	49	35	2	10	4

"Republicans in the House of Representatives approved a budget plan that would change Medicare, the government health insurance program for the elderly. These changes would affect Americans currently under age 55. From what you've heard about it, do you support or oppose this new plan for Medicare?"

		Support	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/2-5/11	32	49	19

"Is it your impression that this new plan would require future generations of Medicare recipients -- that is, those who are currently under age 55 -- to pay more, less, or about the same amount for their health insurance than they would pay under the Medicare program as it works now?"

		More	Less	About the same	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	6/2-5/11	49	10	27	13

Health policy continued

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