New Poll Shows 56 Percent of Voters Disapprove of GOP Health Care Plan

Paul Ryan introducing the American Health Care Act earlier in March. (Screen shot via CSPAN)

A national poll conducted by Quinnipiac University of Connecticut has found that a majority of American voters disapprove of the GOP’s proposed American Health Care Act.

Fifty-six percent of those polled expressed disapproval over the AHCA, the GOP measure intended to replace the Affordable Care Act. Of the Republicans surveyed, only 41 percent approved of the GOP health care bill.

The poll may increase pressure on the GOP, which has struggled to agree on a single piece of health care legislation to repeal and/or replace the ACA. In fact, a vote to repeal the ACA scheduled for Thursday was unexpectedly postponed due to lack of support, in a blow to House Speaker Paul Ryan and fellow Republicans.

“Replacing Obamacare will come with a price for elected representatives who vote to scrap it, say many Americans, who clearly feel their health is in peril under the Republican alternative,” said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac poll.

Voters also strongly oppose funding cuts to Medicaid: 74 percent overall and 54 percent of Republicans are against budget cuts to the program.

Questions over whether to cut funding to Planned Parenthood, however, provoked wildly differing opinions. Seventy-one percent of Republicans support cuts to Planned Parenthood, while 86 percent of Democrats oppose cuts.

The poll notes, however:

When it is explained that federal funding for Planned Parenthood is used only for non-abortion health issues, American voters oppose cutting federal funding to Planned Parenthood 80 – 14 percent, including 60 – 32 percent among Republicans. In a simple question, without the explanation, voters oppose cutting Planned Parenthood funding 61 – 33 percent.

Although a majority of Republicans (64 percent) approve of the way President Trump is handling health care, 21 percent disapprove.

See the full poll results here.

—Posted by Emma Niles