Field Poll: Voter Support for Health Reform Law Increases in California
Most California voters support the federal health reform law, and more voters strongly favor it this year compared with last year, according to a new Field Poll, the Sacramento Bee reports (Siders, Sacramento Bee, 8/20).
The poll -- funded by the California Wellness Foundation -- was based on a telephone survey of 1,579 registered California voters conducted from July 12 to July 29 (Garofoli, San Francisco Chronicle, 8/20).
Poll Results
The poll found that 54% of respondents support the reform law and 37% do not support it, compared with 52% who supported it and 39% who opposed it in 2011.
In addition, 38% of respondents said they strongly support the law, compared with 31% in 2011, the poll found.
According to the Bee, California's level of support for the reform law is greater than in nationwide polls and likely a reflection of the high percentage of Democratic voters in the state. In addition, more than one-third of voters currently are uninsured or say a family member has gone without insurance in the past two years.
The poll also found that:
- 60% of respondents said they disapprove of lawmakers trying to cut funding from the reform law as a way to stop its implementation, while 32% said they approve of the tactic;
- 53% said the law is the first of many changes needed for the U.S. health care system;
- 51% said Congress should stop pursuing efforts to repeal the law and allow it to take effect;
- 46% said they do not think they or their families will be significantly affected by the law;
- 33% said the law is taking the U.S. in the wrong direction and should be reversed;
- 26% said they think they will be better off under the law; and
- 24% said they think they will be worse off under the law.
Effect of Supreme Court Ruling
Mark DiCamillo, poll director, said that the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling earlier this summer to uphold the law seems to have strengthened support for it among voters whose opinions previously were more reserved (Sacramento Bee, 8/20).
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