If President Trump is bound and determined to let the Affordable Care Act "blow up," as he has previously said, he's liable to have more of a fight on his hands that just the Congress.
That's because, according to a report in The Hill, an ABC/Washington Post poll has found most Americans want the ACA fixed, not repealed and replaced.
Not only do 61 percent say they want it fixed instead of repealed, 79 percent say Trump should make it work instead of making it fail. There is, of course, a sizeable divide along party lines, with 88 percent of Democrats wanting the ACA fixed and just 21 percent of Republicans agreeing.
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Still, just 20 percent of conservatives, 25 percent of Republicans and 28 percent of Trump voters say he should attempt to encourage the ACA's failure.
The majority of each group says coverage for pre-existing conditions should be mandatory nationwide, not left up to the states — with 70 percent overall in favor and just 26 percent opposed. The highest level of support for a nationwide standard for covering pre-existing conditions hits 78 percent among 50 to 64-year-olds.
Incidentally, men are 7 percentage points more in favor of repeal than women; they're also percentage points less likely to support a nationwide standard of minimum coverage requirements. And whites are far more likely to support repeal and replace, at close to half, while among non-whites only 16 percent (including 11 percent of blacks and 15 percent of Hispanics) would opt for repeal and replace.
Overall, 62 percent of respondents want nationwide minimum insurance coverage standards, covering such elements as preventive services, maternity and pediatric care, hospitalization and prescription drugs. Only 33 percent would leave such standards up to the states.
Among Republicans and conservatives, 54 and 55 percent, respectively, support a nationwide standard for coverage of preexisting conditions; 53 percent of conservatives and 46 percent of Republicans also want a national standard for coverage.
Americans are also wary of what might happen if Trump works with Republicans to change the ACA; by 43-26 percent, they say they'd rather see Trump work with Democrats than with conservative Republicans in Congress to change it.
Even among Republicans and Trump voters, there's trepidation, with only about half favoring Trump working with conservative congressional Republicans instead of with Democrats on health care. The rest in these groups say he should work with both (30 to 35 percent) or with the Democrats (14 to 11 percent).
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