Slight majority of Americans would support government-run health care

A new poll finds that a narrow majority of Americans support the idea of a single-payer health care system.

The survey of 1,850 adults, conducted by the Washington Post and the Kaiser Family Foundation, found that 51 percent favored switching to a government-run health care system similar to what currently exists in most other western countries, such as Canada, the United Kingdom and France, while 43 percent were opposed.

The poll asked respondents, “Do you support or oppose having a national health plan — or a single-payer plan — in which all Americans would get their insurance from a single government plan?”

Three-quarters of self-described Democrats support the idea, compared to less than 20 percent of Republicans. Among independents, 54 percent support it and 40 percent are opposed.

Related: More than 90% of physicians oppose single-payer medical care: AAPS

The poll found only a slightly higher level of support for a much less radical approach to health care expansion: the Affordable Care Act. Fifty-three percent say they favor the ACA while 41 percent are opposed.

Obviously, single-payer is a political non-starter for likely many years. Although President Trump has at times in his life expressed admiration for a Canadian-style system, since becoming president he has clearly sided with other Republicans in trying to reduce the role of government in health care.

The high level of support for single-payer instead suggests that single-payer is an idea that Democrats will have to take seriously when (and if) they return to power.

Until recently, few elected officials talked openly about the concept of single-payer, but the idea has picked up steam since Bernie Sanders’ presidential candidacy and Democratic candidates increasingly feel pressure from the progressive base of their party to endorse “Medicare-for-All.”

The poll did not try to see whether people would change their mind based on the most common arguments for or against single-payer. Other polls in the past have found that a significant portion of those who endorse the concept of single-payer back away from it when presented with arguments about increased taxes and government control over health care.