Voters Oppose Key Parts Of Health Bill In Deep-Red Districts
With GOP Senators busy drafting their version of the American Health Care Act (AHCA), a recent survey revealed Wednesday the majority of the country including Republicans in deep red districts disliked several provisions of the House-proposed AHCA legislation.
According to the new survey conducted by Program for Public Consultation, University of Maryland, 63 percent of Republicans in deep red districts did not like many provisions of health plans proposed by House Republicans. The survey also found 67 percent of all those surveyed, including Democrats and independents, opposed major provisions outright.
The study also showed seven out of 10 independents opposed the AHCA along with 94 percent Democrats. While 64 percent of voters generally favored the AHCA, a majority of then did not like several of its major provisions.
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According to the survey, 80 percent of the respondents opposed higher premium rates for older people. While the Affordable Care Act allowed insurance companies to charge old individuals thrice the rates applicable to younger people, the new provision will allow companies to charge up to five times.
77 percent of respondents also opposed the provision to allow states to give insurance companies a waiver on pre-existing conditions. It would enable companies to deny coverage to those with pre-existing conditions or charge higher rates. The survey found 60 percent of Republicans, 93 percent of Democrats and 76 percent of independents did not like that.
The Majority of respondents also opposed the AHCA plan to revoke essential benefits. This would enable states to allow insurance companies to offer plans without basic benefits like pregnancy care, lab tests as well as additional treatment for mental health, which 42 percent of Republicans and 86 percent of Democrats were against.
The survey also found a majority of the surveyed Americans were not happy with provisions of reduction in Medicaid spending, repealing Medicaid expansion and repealing taxes on people earning more than $200,000 a year.
The survey on 2,400 registered voters was conducted from June 8 to June 13, a period in which the Senate was reported to be working on the bill in secret. The survey included a six-way breakdown of voters by their congressional districts ranging from very red (Republican) to very blue (Democratic) districts.
According to the UMD researchers, most polls and studies conducted in the past had very little data as they focused mostly on the bill as a whole, as opposed to having questions on specific provisions, reports said.
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Republicans aim to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act which was the former Democratic President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law, popularly known as Obamacare. Senate Republicans are planning to unveil the text of their draft healthcare bill Thursday, Reuters reported.
While they have been working on the bill in secret for weeks, Democrats have criticized the behind-the-scenes meetings and Monday's reportedly staged protest on the Senate floor.
6/21: This story has been updated to correct that it concerns a majority of voters in red states, not a majority of Republicans.
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