A poll indicates that most Americans oppose President Barack Obama’s health care reform even though they strongly support most of its provisions. The Reuters-Ipsos poll was conducted last week.
The Supreme Court is expected to hand down its ruling on a challenge to the president’s health care initiative Thursday.
At the heart of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, called “Obamacare” by its critics, lies the individual mandate. It requires every U.S. citizen to have health insurance, beginning in 2014, or be subject to a fine.
The Reuters poll says 61 percent of Americans are against the mandate, while 39 percent favor it. Opponents of the current health care program say the government cannot oblige people to purchase health care and believe the government will intrude into doctors’ decisions and individual care.
The survey says support for other aspects of Mr. Obama’s health care plan is strong:
–82 percent of the respondents favored banning insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions;
–61 percent favored allowing children to stay on their parents’ insurance until age 26;
–72 percent backed requiring companies with more than 50 employees to provide insurance for their employees.
Mitt Romney, the likely Republican presidential nominee, has promised to repeal the law, if he defeats Mr. Obama in the November election. Mr. Romney has called for a bipartisan effort to correct what is wrong with American health care.
President Obama, who has said he modeled the reforms on a health care plan Mr. Romney passed as governor of Massachusetts, defends his health care overhaul.