UPI Top Stories December 5, 2019
The
Affordable Care Act continues to draw fire from conservatives. Will Democrats
be able to go further?
A
majority of Americans still prefer private health insurance over government-run
alternatives, a new survey shows.
Gallup's
annual Health and Healthcare poll Wednesday found that much like in previous
years, most respondents said they favor private insurance programs over public
alternatives by a 54-42 percent margin. That compares to a 54-40 percent split
for private systems in 2018.
The
growing support for government-run coverage, however, is part of a trend.
Backing for public alternatives averaged only 36 percent from 2010 to 2014, but
has risen beyond 40 percent in each of the last five years.
Multiple
Democratic presidential candidates advocate various forms of expanded
government-run health insurance plans. The House energy and commerce committee
will hold a hearing next week to evaluate public concepts, including the
"Medicare For All"-style plans favored by presidential candidates
Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
Gallup
found great political divides on the question, with the Medicare For All
reflecting most views in the Democratic Party base. Since 2015, an average of
65 percent of Democrats have favored a government-run system, while Republicans
have overwhelmingly supported private coverage (84 percent).
Independents,
meanwhile, are divided. Fifty percent favor private and 45 percent prefer a
government-run alternative.
Earlier
this week, Gallup research showed fewer Americans are critical of the present
U.S. healthcare system -- the lowest level, in fact, since the pollster began
asking the question in 1994.
Gallup
interviewed more than 1,000 U.S. adults for Wednesday's survey, which has a
margin of error of 4 points.
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