*Repeal* health care reform? America: “No thanks!”

By Nick Geisinger, Director of Communications

When I read this AP headline — “Poll: Americans split on health care repeal” — it sounded like a close-call, could-break-either-way type of split. As it turns out, it’s more of a blowout, landslide, please-don’t-repeal-health-reform sort of split.

Among all respondents (i.e., the “Americans” mentioned in the AP headline) only 32% favor repeal. A whopping 39% want even more change to the health care system–that is, 39% think health care reform did not go far enough. 18% said they like the law just fine as it is, 9% want to scale reform back some amount, and 4% do not know.

So, to summarize: 

Favor repeal: 32% [One-third]
Oppose repeal: 66% [Two-thirds.] [More than twice as many.]

And of course, many Americans who favor repeal are surprised to find that they support many of the Affordable Care Act’s individual components.

The Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers’s Health Working Group is currently asking what health reform means for our region, focusing three fall meetings on each of the region’s three “states.” For everyone working towards a successful implementation, it’s a good idea to keep in mind the reality of public opinion:

http://www.ap-gfkpoll.com/pdf/AP-GfK%20Poll%20October%202010%20full%20topline.pdf