While Republican candidates for the presidency call for the repeal of the Affordable Care Act and Democratic hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders advocates its replacement by a “Medicarefor all” plan, the general public is leaning toward a more moderate approach, a polls finds.
When asked to choose among four broad approaches currently being discussed for changing the health care system, the largest share of the public (36%) say lawmakers should build on the ACA in order to improve affordability and access to care.
Replacing the ACA with a single government plan is the choice of 24%, while 16% would like the ACA repealed and not replaced, and 13% favored repealing the law and replacing it with a Republican alternative.
Among Democrats who responded to the Kaiser Health Foundation’s monthly tracking poll, a majority (54%) supports building on the existing law, as advocated by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. About a third (33%) favor a single government plan, as advocated by Vermont Sen. Sanders.
A clear majority (60%) of Republicans told the pollsters that they favor repealing the ACA, whether it’s replaced (34%) or not (26%).
Among Independents, 36% would like to see the law improved to increase affordability and access, 26% supported universal coverage through a single government program, 13% favored replacement with a GOP-sponsored plan, and 12% said the health law should be repealed and not replaced.
The survey also found that the words used to describe a plan can affect how people view it.
Nearly two thirds (64%) of Americans say they have a positive reaction to the term “Medicare-for-all,” and most (57%) say the same about “guaranteed universal health coverage.” Fewer have a positive reaction to “single payer health insurance system” (44%) or “socialized medicine” (38%).
About half (53%) of Democrats say they have a very positive reaction to “Medicare-for-all” compared with 21% who say the same for “single payer health insurance system.”
When asked directly about “guaranteed health insurance coverage in which all Americans would get their insurance through a single government health plan,” the poll finds half (50%) in favor and 43% opposed. Majorities of Democrats (70%) and independents (54%) support the concept, while few Republicans (20%) do.
The poll also found the public’s view of the ACA has remained largely stable so far this year, with 46% holding an unfavorable view of the law and 41% holding a favorable view.
The public is also almost evenly divided about whether the debate over the law should continue: 49% say they are tired of hearing about the debate, while 46% say it is important for the debate to continue. Most Republicans (58%) want the debate to continue, while most Democrats (59%) say they are tired of it.
The poll conducted from Feb. 10 to 18, 2016 by phone interviews with 1,202 respondents.