5 in 10 Americans see healthcare reform unfavorably

WASHINGTON - The Obama administration’s healthcare reforms has attracted an unfavorable response from at least five in ten Americans, according to a joint survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health.

Opposition to the law jumped nine percentage points from last month and is the highest since April, when Kaiser began asking the question every month.

Politico reports that only 33 percent of respondents like the idea of defunding the legislation, and 62 percent disapprove.

The poll results show just how difficult a dance Republicans could have ahead of them: While the reform law isn’t popular, neither is their time-consuming and difficult plan to repeal it piece by piece.

The new opposition to President Obama’s biggest domestic policy initiative has been driven largely by independents.

Fifty-seven percent of independents had an unfavorable view of the law this month, up sharply from 41 percent in December.

Support for the law remained virtually unchanged in January at 41 percent. Reform supporters hope to use the Republican attempts to repeal the law as a chance to remind Americans about the law’s new benefits, which would be eliminated if the law is repealed.

The American public is still very concerned about rising health costs, and health care is the top topic it wants Congress to address. Forty-six percent of respondents say they want Congress to deal with health care, while 40 percent say the economy.

The Kaiser/Harvard survey was conducted before the House repeal vote last Wednesday. (ANI)